


What Was Left Behind

by Maria_and_Aguilars_Codex_1492



Series: The Bloodlines We Carry [2]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Assassin Descendants, Assassins vs Templars, Bleeding Effect, F/M, I am not about to list every relationship that will appear, M/M, Maria's Bloodline, Mentions of Desmond Miles, Multi, Templar Descendants, oh well it's a surprise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-01 19:49:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 36,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10928844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maria_and_Aguilars_Codex_1492/pseuds/Maria_and_Aguilars_Codex_1492
Summary: Part 1: Chapters 1 to 11The Abstergo Foundation was known for taking people. Callum Lynch learns that when he awakens from his death. What he didn't expect was to discover that he is a descendant hailing from a bloodline of two occults that have been fighting for centuries. At least he wasn't alone in that matter, however the other Subjects don't seem to like him, and he is at least 65% sure that they are all legally insane.Part 2: Chapters 12 to ?They have the Apple of Eden, but the threat of it getting taken is high. As the descendants try to adjust to the world, rebuild their Orders, and create new lives they must advoid Abstergo at all cost. However, Sophia Rikkin is not about to give up on the Apple, even if it means using the Shroud of Eden to do the unthinkable.





	1. His Name Is Callum Lynch

**Author's Note:**

> I hope everyone enjoys this! I am trying to expand on the movies Bleeding Effect, so hang with me on this one.
> 
> This story contains two original characters, and one character that was deleted from the film who I have no rights to owning sadly.
> 
> Enjoy guys!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Order for progress there must be sacrifice. It's something that both Sophia and Alan Rikkin know all too well.

**Baja California, Mexico 1986**

The heat was almost unbearable and it would have been too if it wasn't for the breeze that had picked up. Callum Lynch pulled his grey hoodie over his head before snapping the breaks off. Putting his bike into gear he pushed his foot down, putting it into motion. Riding across the old warehouse building, he lifted up the front end of his bike, once he had reached the end.

_Almost there, almost there-_

It was in that moment that he wanted nothing more than to punch himself in the face. This was the seventh time he has missed the old, cargo hold in the last thirty minutes. The thick sand and dust that had been layering itself on top of the pile of old matresses blew up into the air. A thick cloud of it going into his mouth and eyes as he tried to sit up. Blinking his eyes multiple times until the burning subsided, Cal looked down towards his bike. "Shit."

The ride back towards the small, crappy town he lived in was around a twenty minute ride. Leaving enough time for him to spot the large bird in the sky that tended to follow him. Or at least that was what he thought. Dad always said it was because he was small and would be easy prey. Not that Cal cared. There were much worse ways to die.

Riding towards the end of the lot Cal slid to a hault, dropping his bike by the door. The creepy neighbor was outside again, watching, like he always did. Mom didn't like him. Which gave him enough of a reason to not like him either. Moving the plastic crystals and beads that hung over the doors, Cal walked through their home, and judging by the music playing from the kitchen mom was home. Maybe she had come home early so that they could make pb&j's together like they did every saturday night.

_And then someday_

_You'd leave me for somebody new_

The ceiling fan was on high, something that mom never did, only dad, and there she was. Sitting at the table, her head leaning to the side, unmoving.

_Worry_

"Mom?"

_Why did I let myself worry?_

Cal felt the air leave him, his throat tightening up, as he looked down at the floor. There was blood everywhere, more blood than he had ever seen, unlike when mom would cut herself while cooking or when dad would come home with a scrape. The silver necklace she always wore, promising that one day it would be his, hung from her bleeding fingers...

_Wondering_

_What in the world did I do?_

_Crazy for thinking-_

_" La shaaya waqin moutlaq bale kouloun moumkin."_

"Dad?"

He held a knife, dripping with blood, moms blood, he-. "You're blood is not your own Cal. They found us." He stepped towards him, closer and closer, until the red light of the hall shadowed him. "Live in the shadows." Dad spoke, as a loud sound began to fill the house, the sound of vehicles coming. "Go! Go now!" Dad yelled and Cal ran as fast as he could up the stairs and out of the house.

Running until the air burning his lungs hurt more than the tears that burned his eyes,  _mom's dead, mom's dead, mom's dead._

* * *

 

"Where is the child?" Alan asked at the stoic man on his knees. "We know there is one here. Now where is he?"

"Sir, Subject 7 is dead, and there is no sign of her child."

"Pity. I suppose Subject 8 will have to come with us, but don't worry. We have no use for the memories of Victor Lynch. However, I am sure Dr. Vidic would still love to run test on you." Alan told him, taking off his dark sunglasses. "And, one last thing, Mr. Lynch."

"I promise you that we will find him. No matter how many years it takes."

* * *

**Spain, 2016**

There was something unsteady about the atmosphere of Abstergo's headcourters in Spain. Floors below the research complex were modelled after the previous designs of a Templar hall that used to reside in Spain during the 1300s. 

It was something that Sophia Rikkin found fascinating, yet the tension that was collecting in her muscles by the very touch of the room was another matter. She has many goals, finding pieces of Eden and creating a cure for violence, being her main ones. Has her time paid off though? Did the countless number of Animus sessions and multiple test subjects help her cause? It did, at least Sophia believed that much, and after looking at Doctor Vidics failed program, the failed Helix program, among others, she can't help the feeling of success hit her. Documents of patients, ranging from Subject 20 to 69, were held tightly in her grip. She hardly ever took these documents out of the lab, but she wanted to leave them temporarily with the Elders. Perhaps if they saw how much work has been put in it they won't discontinue it. Discontinuing, that word left her anxious with a sense of dread. She promised her test subjects a new life once this was all over. And after destroying their minds with the Animus, turning them into the monsters that their ancestors made them to be...It felt wrong somehow. Even if her subjects now possessed unnatural, practiclly inhuman abilities she couldn't imagine killing them. Their second life alone would play an important role among the new world Abstergo would create. Soldiers fighting against those who would oppose them, oppose peace. However, if the Abstergo Foundation lost funding, billions anually would be lost, and every test subject would have to be put down as a liability. She would have to kill them like one kills a dog. The sleek silver laptop enclosed above the files, contained her new proposel. Hopefully, the Elders would see reason behind what was needed for their problems to be solved.

As double doors gave way, Sophia held her gaze to the Elders seated for this meeting. Normally she would have had to have sat in a small office to only one Elder, but father assured her this meeting. "Your grace. Elders. I am honored that you have accepted my reques-". Haulting. Hesitation. A single hand raised, cutting through her words, as an executioner cuts through those who are guilty. Chairwoman Ellen Kaye gazed upon her like a bird of prey gazes upon a tiny field mouse. The woman was intimidating no matter how old she was, and Sophia was not as blind as most saw her to be. She knew her place, as a scientist, as a doctor, not ready to step into the power that her father holds. She knows not to disobey an Elder, at a meeting she requested of them no less.

"I know of your Abstergo Project, Miss Rikkin. I am not going to tell a lie when I admit that it should have ended after the incident with Subject 17." The Elder admitted, raising her hand towards the young woman. Ellen Kaye had seen many things in her life. She was only a young girl during the second Great War, yet she remembers seeing the body of the last Assassin. An older woman named Lydia Frye. Ellen remembers looking at the decades of work Abstergo had done since they began. She remembers seeing a dead relic of the old world. This Animus Program was one that she did not care for. The history of the Assassins and Templars should remain in history. At least, in her opinion, and as power would go even her opinion can only go so far."However, ever since we stopped using Helix and began the using your new Animus we have gotten results. Of course, those results only have gone so far. The Bloodline of Maria de Al-Andalusia gave us all of the information that the Spain Brotherhood knew about the Apple to us. The Bloodline of Alonso de Ojeda gave us the first hand experience of the Templar Orders quest for the Apple. However, the one thing that neither Maria, nor Ojeda could give us was the Apple itself."

Sophia pursed her lips, a cross of past failures seemed to weigh more than any victory. A weight that held her down, needing to be broken, a shift towards better goals in her opinion. It wasn't her fault that Maria died, or that Ojeda had died, before the fate of the Apple could be revealed. Yet it was her fault, this lack of evidence was her fault, leading her to searching for any other option. Opening her laptop, Sophia nodded to an assistant to turn on the projector that was set up. "I think I have found the descendant we have been looking for. Subject 5, Mary Lynch, and Subject 11, Joseph Lynch did give us information through their ancestors. Mary Lynch gave us Arno Victor Dorian, and Joseph Lynch presented a Templar boodline from London's Victorian Era. However, we did not go far back enough into either bloodline." Sophia explained as two autopsy photos showing the two failed subjects appeared. They had escaped from Warren Vidics lab, going missing for years, until Alan Rikkin found them again in the 80's. Leaning forward, Ellen Kayne crooked a finger towards the doctor. "You think that two dead test subjects from Doctor Vidic's failed program will help us find the Apple?". Whispers rippled through the other Elders. Sounding like a broken record to Sophia's ears. Flipping to the next slide, the photo of a young boy appeared before them. Cuts covered his young face, and the name 'Cal' was written beneath. The 'A' in his name being replaced by the symbol of an Assassin. "No. Mary and Joseph cannot help us, but they left something behind. A son. Who I believe is a descendant of Aguilar de Nerha, a protector of the Apple, the only known survivor of either Order in 1492. You see when my team discovered the Assassin tombs in Spain we could not find Maria or Aguilar's body. It wasn't until we discovered the Templar tombs beneath the Citidel that we discovered something. They were buried with Ojeda, although the reason still remains unknown. I took DNA samples from them for my research. At the time, however, I didn't study Aguilar's sample, until just recently, when I was going through old data. Mary Lynch's DNA matched along with Aguilar de Nerha's. Mary's son is our key to the Apple. I swear to you."

Silence overtook, deafening even more so than hushed whispers, as another final solution came into the light. The Elders looked upon her, and stood from their rows of seats. "Do you know where he is now?" The Elder beside Ellen addressed. Sophia felt the corners of her mouth curl up. "I do. Five years ago, a serial killer who slaughtered pimps was arrested in the United States of America, Texas to be exact. His DNA matched Aguilar's perfectly, and his name only confirmed it. Callum Lynch is alive, your grace, and he is on death row. I seek to simply end his life, so that he may help us to discover a better understanding and guide us towards our goals. So, I ask you this, his name is Callum Lynch, will you help me aquire him?" 


	2. The Fall of Andalusia, 1490

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aguilar de Nerha gets introduced to the one who will be his mentor.

**Spain 1482**

The fire consumed them as the chants of the Inquisition seemed to only grow louder. Bodies burned at the stake as Torquemada began praising the Holy War that sweeps across Spain. Black soot filled the air, choking anyone who was not used to it. This was the result of the new wave of religious persecution hitting Andalusia. The Catholics, Aragon amd Castile, march south with only domination in mind. All shall bow to their god. All shall be purged of these sins.

Two more assassins had died that morning, along with a civilian, a woman to be exact. But their deaths were among many. Men and women, ranging in age, even children had been burned in the name of a Holy War. The other less fortunate ones were going to be tortured in horrid ways. Ways that would make the fire seem as if it was a blessing. It did not matter, all were deemed moorish, no matter if their faith was with the Jews or the Muslims. All suffered for theur beliefs being different.

Aguilar de Nerha watched his parents burn. Watched his wife burn. Their bright clothing eaten away at by the heat and flames. The only solace to their deaths being that his child was safe in a group of moorns leaving Spain. The only relief to his pain, the promise of revenge. Against the very man who had burned his family and spared him.  _Ojeda_. Even then, he would mourn for this loss, even if seeking revenge kills him.

The Spainard watched on as the crowds died down and the only things remaining were burned bodies. Dark eyes remained stoic as the sudden dread began to fill the man. The village that he came from was no less different than the bodies left behind for the vultures to pick at. Anyome that did survive was moving, traveling to places like Granada, but others moved north sticking to the coast. That was where his child was taken, into a different land in hopes of peace. Breathing in deeply, he watched the hot sun begin to set. There was nothing left accept his fate.

Such a dreadful fate, that the beginnings of a Holy War was upon Spain.

Such a dreadful fate, that Aguilar de Nerha would follow down the path his parents had not wanted for him.

* * *

Finding the Brotherhood of Assassins was not a hard thing to do when they are searching for you. 

He wants to know why they didn't save his parents, or his wife, or his village, but there is no point. Death is all they know, death and the life of a wanderer. It makes him bitter, until the Templars arrive. They are dressed in black, accept for the soldiers of Castle and Aragon. The only thing that is the same is the white flag one being carried by both parties, barring a crimson cross.

One of the assassins seems to descend from the sky like a bird of prey catching a field mouse. Killing the man carrying the flag, and ripping it from the wooden handle it had been perched on.

Aguilar can only stand there, watching as the ones he wants dead die, but not by his hand. It isn't long before a hand is placed on his own shoulder and an assassin with an axe looks down upon him.

"Come with me." 

He speaks, and Aguilar listens.

* * *

**Spain 1490**

Two hooded figures bare witness to the shadowed figure sitting upon the Moorish throne. Sand blew across the stone floor, swirling around the feet of the assassins as the Mentor of the stepped forward into the light. The man standing at his side, remaining silent.

"The inquisition has been brought to us. The Sultan will hold out Granada for as long as he can, however the fate of Madrid, Seville, and the rest of Spain is falling with every step the Templars take to getting the apple."

A pause formed as the Mentor placed a white Templar flag, speckled with blood, on the platform of the throne. A hand, missing its ring finger, reached out to pick up the remains of a failed assault on the farms outside of the city. A common site as the Inquisition only seems to worsen.

The Queen of Andalusia arose from her throne, clad in golden clothing, a moorish dress that would deem her a heretic. The gold crown of her city sat upon her curled-braided hair, flaring with the sun against the moorish tattoos that marked her face. A sign of her time roaming Spain as a nomad. However, the most noticeable thing about her appearance that caught the second mans eye was the red sash tied around her waist, the sash of an assassin. 

"The spirit of the eagle will watch over us. I am sacrificing my city for the Apple. We cannot let the Templars succeed and the black knight Ojeda is beginning to bare his sword to me." She said in a stern tone before dropping the flag onto the stone floor, a frown scaring her features.

The mentor nodded, a small bow of his head, "Your family has ruled over this city for the Brotherhood for generations, but remember you are an assassin first. I am leaving our last novice in your trusted guidance."

The woman looked towards the man motioning for him to come forth.

The second man eventually did step forward, crimson-brown hair blending against the brown and white of his assassin robes. His own moorish marking drawing itself across his eye like the very scar that marked the deadly Templar Knight that the novice would soon hunt. A testament to his years spent moving withe the Brotherhood across Spain. Looking up from the stone floor, the novice met a pair of startling blue eyes, that he had never seen in any city or seaside.

The Queen of Andalusia gave a sly smile moving her four fingered hand towards him.

"Aguilar de Nerha, I am Maria."

* * *

 The sun set upon Spain, the last light washing over the Spain Bureau tucked away in the mountains. The sharpening of blades could be heard like metal scrapping against stone. Tonight there would be an initiation to the Spain Brotherhood. Aguilar de Nerha would follow in his parents steps, and after training as a novice for two years, he will follow in Maria de Al-Andulas steps as well. Stepping past the wooden doors, Aguilar moved past the elders and caretakers who stood out against the moorish surroundings in their white attire. He could hear the mentor speaking with the Brotherhood, directing it to him, as he stepped down the steps, following the elders, into the center of their monostery. 

"The Inquisition has finally delivered Spain to the Templars. Sultan Muhammed and his people still hold out in Granada. But if his son, the Prince is captured he will surrender the city and the Apple of Eden." 

Mentor Bennedicto told them as Aguilar stepped into the centre of the Brotherhood. The only thing seperating himself from the mentor was the table for which he would sacrifice his ring finger for. "Do you Aguilar de Nerha swear to honor our Order in the fight for freedom? To defend mankind against the Templars' tyranny and preserve free will?"

From the corner of his vision he spotted Maria turning towards him, her gaze burning him the most. "I swear." 

"If the Apple falls into their hands the Templars will destroy everything that stands in their way. Protest, dissent, our right to think for ourselves. Swear to me that you will sacrifice your life and the lives of everyone here to keep it from them." Bennedict tasked as Aguilar kept his composure. To sacrifice the lives of everyone here, even Maria...As if the Spainard could hear his very thoughts the assassin could practiclly feel her stern gaze harden. "Yes, mentor."

Bennedicto walked forward, his boots echooing on the floor, as he reached to take Aguilars' hand. Placing it down on the ceremonially carved metal, Aguilar felt the bladed prong surround his ring finger. Teasing his flesh with what was to come. "Our own lives are nothing." Bennedicto told him sliding the prongs down into the slot, pressing it against his skin. "The Apple is everything. The spirit of the eagle will watch over the future." 

Aguilar breathed deeply, this is it, with a sharp slice of the metal prongs entering the sheath beneath Aguilar felt his finger being severed. Grunting he pulled his hand back, looking up to see Maria nod to him, it is done. 

Stepping back from Aguilar, Bennedicto rejoined the circled formation around the assassin as Maria stepped forward. Two hidden blades in her hands, a mentor offering her novice what would become his most trusted weapon in the field. 

"Where other men blindly follow the truth remember Nothing is true." Maria spoke, looking up at Aguilar, and he starred back at her blue eyes masked by black paint. "Where other men are limited by morality or law remember Everything is permitted." She told him, himself and the others chanting the Creed with her. 

They were taught that their lives meant nothing. That over every attachment and value the Creed would overcome all. But as Maria placed the hidden blades on him, Aguilar could only think about how this would end for them. He couldn't have her, the same way that no one in the Brotherhood held personal attachment. But as he spoke the final words of their Order, Aguilar swore to himself, that if it came down between the Creed and the woman he had grown to love then he would break that final sacred tenant. 

_"We work in the dark to serve the light. We are assassins."_


	3. Welcome to Abstergo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum Lynch dies and awakens in Abstergo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my original characters makes an appearance in this chapter. I am normally not fond of putting more than one original character, but I really wanted to put him in here. Tell me what you think!

The prison cell was a mixture of grey and light blue, light casting against the walls, as Callum Lynch sketched out another image. They covered his cell, almost as much as the graffiti from past prisoners did. Coal art picturing nightmares of hooded men, and crosses, and  _creatures._ Cal doesnt understand why he does it, not really, even now when he awaits for nothing but death. Perhaps the prison guards will leave these nightmares on the walls. Perhaps a piece of him will live on through yellowed paper and rough markings of coal. 

 

He pauses over this one, his final one, twirling the short stick of coal against his fingers. Light colored blue eyes, hued in grey and green, study the paper setting upon the metal that is supposed to be a bench. This drawing, is not much of a nightmare, but a woman that he dreamed about the night before. An angel, his angel, coming to claim his soul or at least whats left of it. That is his final conclusion for his final nightmare, or rather dream. He continues sketching in her features even as whispers of chants seems to emitt from the cold concrete above. The voices leave, vanish as soon as the tap of footsteps sound, and Cal looks down at his unfinished drawing. The hooded woman with the markings on her face. He takes in her features, what he can only try to imagine what she would have looked like if she was real, before moving the paper onto his bed. 

Cal sits there, waits, for the loud buzz that alarms when his cell door is going to be opened. It is almost laughable at what walks through the cell door, but even such a laughable notation as this is mandatory. At least in the state of Texas, which he assumes as much, when a priest steps into the blue tinted lighting of his cell. Pausing upon seeing his beautiful art, Cal wants to ask if the priest enjoys his work, if he would like to take one. Free. No charge. Perhaps he'll take one of a screaming face, or the darkened features of a horse, or maybe one of his favorites. A man burning on a cross, or perhaps he offered himself to be burned. Cal cannot remember very much of that one, but the priest looks upon him like a blind man seeing what remains for him in the afterlife.

"You here to save my soul?" Its not a question as much as it is a statement. The priest keeps giving him this look, such a hard look, before replying in a voice that Cal wasn't expecting to hear from the man. "Something like that." Its calm, soft spoken, as if the priest actually cares. "I understand it's your birthday." The priest adds, voice still calm, still caring like the saint that he is supposed to be. Scoffing, Callum smirks at his remark, "Yeah. The party's just getting started." He tells the priest, who he supposed would be his only guest. "Sit down. You're making me nervous." 

The priest takes his hand from his pocket, taking the seat beside Callum, who looks down at the black leather book in his hand. Sighing, the priest opened the book, and began speaking into the death row cell. "O' Lord, wash away my sin and I'll be clean once again." Cal breathed in deeply, closing his eyes, taking in these last words. Yes, he wants to say, cleansed from stealing as a child in order to survive on the streets. Cleansed from the blood of a pimp that he was sure he would see in whatever hell there is. "You're not much for the Bible, are you?" He ask, and in return Callum looks at him. "I've never been one for Christianity, no."

* * *

Chains hit against one another, his shoes smacking against the hard ground, as he stepped closer towards his death. Heavy metal bars closed upon his entrance into the lethal injection room. The prison guards laid him upon the hard, black chair. Strapping him up as if he would run at any chance he got. The doctor wraps a rubber tie around his arm, snapping his finger against the viens, until they popped up enough to were they could insert the needle. Looking forward, Cal looked at the people behind the tinted glass. Police, lawyers, and the pimps brother sat behind that glass. Ready to watch someone die like a child watches wild animals at the zoo. 

"Be it known that Callum Lynch has been found guilty of capital murder and is sentenced to die on this day October 21st, 2016. Does the prisoner wish to make a final statement?" 

"Tell my father I'll see him in hell."

The clock begins to count down, shifting to 18:00 on the red clock. A loud click sounds as the chair moves down, causing Cal to breathe deeply from clenched teeth. No one wants to die strapped to a chair in front of people who want you dead. No one wants to watch as a liquid goes through a needle to kill you. As he looks around he sees the people behind the glass. His lawyer, an elderly woman who looks upon the scene with a look of pity. The pimps brother and his lawyer, probably still cursing him, and lastly the detective who brought him to good ole justice. 

With the flip of a switch, Callum watches as the liquid begins to go in. Any form of control becoming lost in those last moments as his breathing became ragged. Looking back up one last time he notices her. A woman standing in the shadows, her face studying him like one of those children who used to burn ants under a magnifying glass. He wants to know why she is here, he has never seen her before, surely she didn't belong there, but any form of communication drops. His heart speeds up, faster and faster, beating in his ears like war drums as he releases his final breath.

* * *

The old saying of seeing your life flash before your eyes after you die was almost as bad as his nightmares. The sky, the hot sun, his mother, green lights swirling against his vision, the desert, a landscape he has never seen before, flying, his mother, a hooded figure, sky, sun, his mother, blue light. A never ending cycle, that only seems to slow down as he stares into blue eyes surrounded by black coal and markings,  _breathe_ , she tells him, before the green and blue lighting burns away at his eyes.

This was the final moments of his life.

Callum Lynch was dead.

* * *

Opening his eyes he feels as if he is not in his body anymore. The room is in different shades of white, blue, and grey. Blinding in a way, as his vision shifts onto the figure sitting next to him. Perhaps she is an angel, or a demon, but she doesn't seem real. None of this seems real, so Cal lifts up his hand as best as he can only to be stopped by her. "My name is Doctor Sophia Rikkin. At 6:00 p.m. yesturday evening you were executed and pronounced dead. Insofar as anyone in the world knows or cares you no longer exist." Sophia tells him, and he feels his heart drop deep within his chest. It wasn't for the fact that no one knew, or that no one cared. It was how she said it, so monotonus and sterile. How many times has she said the same thing over and over again? Cal lets out a breath he had not known he had been holding. Ripping away at the needle and I.V that he was connected to. Grunting, Cal almost fell onto the floor as he tried to balance himself up. "It's better that you sit." The woman says, this doctor, as he runs his hand over his eyes. They feel painful, out of focus, "My eyes." 

"What you're feeling right now is normal, if uncomfortable. Cal, I'm here to help you. And you're here to help me." She tells him, smiling, as all he can do is look at her. The sudden realization hitting him, that this woman was the one who was not supposed to be in the observation room. Getting up he moved sluggishly, his body not wishing to move properly, as he pushed through the double doors and hit the ground. At the end of the hall stands two people who are lile statues standing by the doors there. Two people dressed in pure white uniforms began walking towards him, moving his attention to the other end of the hall were his gaze landed on a pair of white velcroed shoes. Looking up he sees only a young man, still a much older teenager at most. Cal has never been good with age, not even his own, or the elderly woman that was his lawyer. Drawing his focus back he hurries to study him seeing how he isn't dressed in pure white like the others. His skin is pale and standing out against the light blue clothing he is in. The intense blue eyes he held, as well as, his black hair didn't seem to help but to stand out as Cal's eyes tried to adjust before landing at what was around his neck. The first was a black cord, a golden shilling hanging from it, the second was a jewelled red cross hanging from a chain that was practiclly a choker, but it wasn't the cross that made him ignore Sophia or the guards it was what was on the shilling. That symbol, the 'A' like symbol, his mother had one just like that on her-

"Jason go back to your cell. Now." Sophia said, causing him to pause, eyes looking down to Cal, before this so called Jason ran. "Let him go." Sophia added, and he began to crawl again towards where Jason had run off too. An exit, please be an exit, was all he could think of besides the pain in his body. Those guards, or orderlies, or whatever the hell they were, had stopped, but Cal doubted that Sophia would let him get far. Pushing up onto his knees, he tried standing up as the double doors opened automaticlly into a circled room. Multiple different doors encircled it, as those workers dressed in white and people doned in blue stood. Moving as fast as he could, he stayed away from those people, pressing down onto the glowing button. Stumbling he entered another part of the building, greeted by brick walls, and more people. Men and woman dressed in black, guards, if their weapons told him anything. The workers in white were motioning the ones in blue around, reminding him of how orderlies would guide patients in asylums. "Don't touch him." Sophia ordered, her voice still calm, as Cal made his way up the black metal staircase and across the sky line. His body was moving faster, whatever drugs she had put in him coming to an end of their course.

Skidding to a hault, Callum entered the first room he saw. Light, sunlight to be exact, filtered through the room. There was grass, trees, plants; birds chirped happily in their trees. This room was no prison, what kind of prison even had gardening tools? People looked at him, stopping whatever they had been doing. Watching him, studying him, but not as Sophia had done. Cal walked deeper into the room, towards the missing wall, towards the sounds of a city. The man sitting beside him shifts, standing up, "Go ahead, do it. Jump."

He would be lying if he said he didn't consider it. Would jumping be much better than being apart of whatever kind of prison this is? "You're not a prisoner here, Cal. I'm here to protect you. If you listen to me, everything is going to make sense." Sophia said, looking at him with that same look that an adult gives a child. "But you need to trust me." She adds, and there is a curl in the pit of his stomach. Years of living on the streets telling him to not trust this woman, this doctor, that stands before him. "Where am I?" He ask, his voice sounding harsh against his ears. "You're in a rehabilitation wing of the Abstergo Foundation in Madrid. A private organization dedicated to the perfection of human kind." 

Her words are laughable, more so than his lovely priest, and Callum cannot help but to laugh. "With your help we can pioneer new ways to eradicate violence." Stepping down, he looks at her, steps towards her even, and he isn't sure if he wants to laugh in her face about it or push her out of this building for bringing him here for her little social experiment instead of letting him die. He feels something pierce his neck, he wants to curse at her, at this oh so lovely day, but he is only given darkness.

"I had this." Sophia said sternly towards the Head of Security who simply lowered his crossbow and looked at her as if she was an idiot for chasing after her new patient. "Your father wants him in." McGowen states, eyes shifting towards Subject 22 who decided to enter the room amungst the conflict. Jason stands beside him, eyes looking down at the inmate, as he grips the old tophat in his hands. Sophia ignores this, keeping her attention on McGowen, she would discuss this matter with her father later.

* * *

"He's my patient. This is my program. Prepare the Animus." 

 

 

 


	4. Begin Regression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cal goes through his first regression, Andalusia 1492.

Cal wasn't sure when he had awoken again. There was only a sharp pinch in the side of his neck, and the white floor going by as they dragged him. Looking up, craning his neck as good as he could, he watched a new set of double doors open. The room inside was large, a dome to be exact, and the air felt cold against his skin. Trying to gain a sense of his surroundings he quickly looked around the room trying to keep his gaze from Sophia Rikkins'. The room was dimly lit with blue lighting, that shone down on the weapons that lined the circling walls, and in the far back there was a machine. A large machine hanging down from above what looked to be some form of a very large computer chip laying within what could only be presumed as water. If it wasn't for the golden lighting shinning up on a muralled dome above he probably would have missed it. Then finally, behind Sophia were technicians looking on as he was dragged into the center of the room. 

The two orderlies strapped on something around his waist, something that had locked on. "Are the blades prepared?" Sophia asked and a man dressed in all white replied from a nearby case. "Right here." He told her opening it up. Before he took out two cuff like objects. "And we've confirmed their provenance?" Sophia said, as if to make sure that there would be no failure. "They belonged to Aguilar, recovered at his burial site." The man told her, again, before handing them off. A man and a woman, each taking one, walked towards him placing them onto his forearms. Brown leather and metal greeted him, designed with inaccurate markings, and what Cal could only identify to be a blade hidden within. "What are these?" He asked as they were forced onto him until they fit snuggly. 

"Assume final preparations. Our regression, Andalucia, 1492. Record everything." Sophia stated loudly. Technicians turned machines on, and from above Cal could see an observation chamber watching on, just like his execution. Machines whirred, lighting up surrounding boards in light blue light. "Arms ready " A voice called, and from above a machine began to move. He watched as it unwounded itself from a glass dome above, coming down to hook itself onto the heavy belt around his waist. "What is this?" Cal asked, the feeling of panic rising in his tone. He wished that he had died, because the panic, the small twitch that kept him alive in dangerous moments told him that death would have been better than whatever it is that he is about to experience. "I'm sorry, Cal. This is not the way I like to do things." Sophia said, looking down at the ground, her voice barely giving away any remorse. "Then don't do it." He begged, leaning against the grip of the orderlies who hold him back. 

"Insert epidural." Sophia commanded, and in that moment all Callum could do was scream. He could feel it hook into his fleah, latching on, before a long, thick needle shot out and into the direct center between his head and his neck. Pain spread through his head feeling as if he had been shot and then ran over by a train if you could even begin to compare it to something. Gaining some sense of compossure, Cal looked back down at Sophia. "What do you want from me?" It was a question, one that he hoped would be unlike the others he had asked, and would get answered. With all of these people and all of this technology what could she possibly want from him? From a dead man, a nobody, who had murdered before.

"Your past. Listen to me carefully, Cal." Sophia's tone became softer as she began to back away from him, a small smile beginning to appear onto her features. "You're about to enter the Animus. What you're about to see, hear and feel are the memories of someone who's been dead for over 500 years." She explained, her tone falling into the one he had first heard when he woke up. This wasn't the first time she has said those words..."Wait a minute!" He protested as the arm shot up, lifting him from the ground. "You can't change what happens, Cal." She said louder, as the machine below the domed mural began to lower into the glowing blue liquid, connecting itself into a large green machine. "Engage scanner." A female voice commanded. Panting, Cal looked down at everything, as the arm seemed to level itself out. "Status?" Sophia questioned, and another technician responded. "Scanning DNA chains. Searching for time frames." 

The lights surrounding him, connected to the main dome, began to shift, turning themselves on to cast a golden light on everything that was in the center if the room. "First memory match locked. DNA match identified." A man said as the sound of more switches flipping and the lights shifting hit his ears. "Stay with it, Cal." Sophia said from below him over all of the sound and then something appeared blocking out all of the sound and surroundings from him. A black, mist-like appearation appeared through the blue and yellow lighting, floating towards him like ink placed in water. "Attempt synchronization." Sophia commanded to her technicians. Cal felt this feeling overtake him, as more of the black mist came from him, moving out to circle around him. Sounds-voices-all different and muffled filled the air as more of it was seemingly pulled from him. "We found him. We found Aguilar." A technician stated, and Cal felt his muscles twitch, wrist flicking on impulse, or was it muscle memory? Releasing the blades in one quick sink. "Synchronization achieved." Cal heard, before all of the black mist went back into his body, but it didn't feel like before. It all settled into the back of his mind, all but one, as the last filled him. Running through what felt like every inch of his body and mind. The feeling was overwhelming, as if he wasn't alone, or rather he was what he used to be. "There." Sophia stated, the sound of his own heartbeat reaching his ears as he opened his eyes.

"Commence regression." 

* * *

**Spain, Andalucia provinince, 1492**

The sun beat down on them as they looked down from the cliffs above. Miles away, Andalusia's crown Madrid was in a war between what was left of Maria's army and the soldiers of Castle and Aragon. Yet, there was something much more important hidden away in the farming village below. Something so important that the entire Brotherhood was called out. The Prince of Granada, the Sultans son, who was the only thing keeping the Apple of Eden and what was left of moorish Spain safe.  _"Our mission is the boy. We cannot allow him to fall into Templar hands. Protect him with your life."_ The mentor, Bennedicto, ordered to the six other assassins. The last active members of the Brotherhood that had survived the Inquisition so far. Stepping onto the edge of the cliff, Bennedicto performed a leap of faith, the others following closely behind. Aguilar looked to Maria, her look told him enough, that the fate of everything they believed in would be put on the line in these next moments. Nodding to him, Maria followed, and Aguilar was not far behind taking one last look at the eagle flying above.

Dust stirred in the air, soldiers of the inquisition had filled the town, as well as, the black knights of the Templar Order. Being lead by their founder, Alonso de Ojeda, and General Ramirez. The Assassins remained towards the back of the crowd of villagers watching as Ojeda got off of his infamous black horse. Bennedicto nodded, a silent motion, leading to them spreading out into the crowd. All accept for Aguilar, he had a target, the General, who he would have to strike from above. Maria slipped through the crowd, watching as Ojeda grabbed a woman by the back of her head, forcing her to the ground.  _"Which household harbored the boy?"_ Ojeda asked looking down at the woman. If only Bennedicto didn't insist on going after him, Maria would have taken the chance, but the mentor knew of how often that normally ended with one long chase. This time there could be no stalling. This would either be the end of their Brotherhood, their Creed or the Templar Order, and their Inquisition.  _"I alone."_ A man spoke out, walking towards the Templar.  _"Nobody else knew he was there."_ The man spoke. Trying to keep eye contact with the taller man, who looked down on him skepticlly.  _"Hang his family and make him watch. Burn the whole village."_ He ordered, as Inquisition soldiers brought out the young prince from the mans home. 

Aguilar watched from above, waiting for the General to step out of the home, and into his sight. When he did, Aguilar shifted his gaze to the prince being placed in a metal cage on a cart, before returning it to the General.  _"With the Prince of Granada held captive. His father the Sultan will surrender his rebellious city. The last safe haven for infidels. God will punish his people's heresy. Finally, Spain will be under one Templar rule."_ The General spoke out towards the towns people, as the Assassins took out their weapons. Flicking his wrist, Aguilar leaped down from the home, stabbing the general in the chest, brown eyes starring into each others before the man died. Setting off a chain of attacks, Bennedicto attacking Ojeda, hitting him before being pushed down. Maria swung her remodelled parry shield towards an inquisitor, slicing his neck open. Gabriel moved forward with his circular blade cutting into the back of one soldiers neck. Bennedicto moved back up to kill another one with his hidden blade. Rafiiki flipped his twin daggers within his hands, slicing another soldiers face open, before Alejandro took out one of his swords to cut into the back of a soldiers head. Leaving Odar to snap a inquisitors neck instead of using his crossbow. 

Aguilar closed the Generals eyes, and just like that chaos errupted. Men began to shout,  _"Assassinos!"_ Before the soldiers began to attack. Odar ahot at some with his crossbow, allowing Aguilar to move forward in order to flip a soldier onto his back. Maria released her double pronged hidden blade. Grabbing a hold of an inquisitors spear before cutting his throat wide open with her hidden blades. Taking the spear she swung it around striking another soldier across his face with it. Gabriel, looked from Maria and the back to Aguilar, before taking out his sword. Blocking off an attack before cutting the soldiers stomach open. 

As fast as she could, Maria got onto the steele and wooden carriage that held the prince, taking one last look towards the Brotherhood before taking off. Leaving them, as Aguilar continued to kill and maim the soldiers who got to close to him.  _"Aguilar!...the boy, Aguilar...the boy!"_ Bennedicto cried out, as soldiers tried subdoing him. Aguilar lookes up, seeing the mentor struggle, as other Assassins laid dead on the ground amongst the bodies of inquisitors. His mind went into a haze,  _Gabriel, Alejandro, Odar, Rafiiki,_ all dead, Bennedicto was caught, Maria- _Maria-_ _she took the boy!_ Grabbing a horses reins, Aguilar pushed the black Templar knight off before jumping onto the horse. Leading it on, out of the village, and towards the chase that was occuring. 

A black Templar knight grabbed ahold of the cage that the prince was in. Pulling up on it to get onto the wagon. Maria turned around, grabbing ahold of the cage as well, before jumping from the wagon. Her foot hit the rock of the cliff, propelling her back into the back of the wagon in a single back flip. Landing her behind the soldier, who was quick to turn around. She kicked away his sword, before kicking him off of the wagon. Taking her parry shield from her back she swung it at the second soldier who climbed in. After he dodged the attack, Maria swung her leg out, knocking her boot hard enough against his head in order to send him falling off. Maria looked back, seeing Aguilar riding closer towards Ojeda, before she picked up the second mans crossbow. " _He should have used this on me."_ Maria shouted out to a nearby rider, before shooting him down. Dropping it she moved back into the front of the wagon taking the reins again.  _"Come on Aguilar."_ Maria said before she urged the horses on. 

Aguilar moved his legs up onto the saddle, before jumping into the back of Ojeda's wagon. Pain shot up through his hand on the landing, causing him to grit his teeth before staggering up. Ojeda got up from the front of his wagon, picking up an axe, before swinging it at Aguilar. Aguilar blocked it, kicked Ojeda, before the wagon collided with the other sending him flying onto the back. The prince had placed himself in the corner of the cage in fear, his gaze drifted towards the front, leading Aguilar to see a soldier taking out his sword. Throwing a knife, Aguilar watched it pierce the flesh of his neck, sending him down into the dirt. Getting onto the wagon, Aguilar looked ahead to see the land drop off, a cliff.  _"Aguilar! The child!"_ Maria's voice called out, and Aguilar knew what she was trying to do. Opening the cage Aguilar grabbed the boy, feeling his arms wrap around him, before lifting his arm up. Aiming his rope launcher towards the solid ground below. The wagon lurched, falling over the side...

The last thing he heard was the boys scream and a cry of pain as their bodies hit the hard, britle rock.

The last thing he felt was Maria's warm hand in his.

The last thing he saw, was Ojeda, looking down at him.

* * *

_"Pull him!"_

* * *

"Commence rehabilitation. Run a systems check and log his condition. We don't need a repeat of last time...You did well, Cal."

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Assassins in the Brotherhood that we saw had no names, so I just gave them ones and matched them by appearance and what that Assassin did in Aguilar's memories.
> 
> Gabriel-the Assassin who fought with a curved, circular blade. He had a sword at his side and was second in the line up.
> 
> Rafiiki-the Assassin who fought with daggers. He was the only one who didn't resemble someone of spaniard or middle eastern descent, so his name isn't exactly based on that. He was sixth in the line up.
> 
> Alejandro-the Assassin who used two twin swords that he carried on his back. He is the seventh in the line up. ((Fun Fact! The actor who played him also played an Abstergo security guard that we see in the background of our modern scenes, one of the better ones being Cal's first regression. He stands in the observation chamber with Alan Rikkin and McGowen.))
> 
> Odar-the Assassin who used a crossbow and was very good at hand to hand combat. He was first in the line up.
> 
> The line up I am referrencing to is when we first see the Spain Brotherhood in the first regression. In order of appearance in the film it is: Odar, Gabriel, Aguilar, Bennedicto, Maria, Rafiiki, and Alejandro.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter guys!


	5. A History Of Violence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Sophia and Alan discuss Callum Lynch and finding the Apple.
> 
> -Ellen Kay tells Alan of the Elders plan to discontinue the Animus program.
> 
> -And Callum awakens, discovering someone new, as well as, something that is wrong with him. But Sophia seems to already know that.

_"Looking back, it's clear that the history of the world is a history of violence. Last year, the economic impact of antisocial behavior was nine trillion dollars. We believe that man today experiences a measure of agression for which he finds no acceptable outlets. Now imagine, if all these cost could be channeled elsewhere._

* * *

Rikkins office was on the highest level of the Abstergo Foundations facility. Weapons were on the tables, and in cases on display. Artifacts from Templars to Assassins were placed neatly among the room. As the paintings depicting history, by which was lead by Assassins and Templars, were covering the grey walls. The only modern things in the room was the lighting, the computer on his desk, the piano in the corner of the room, and the flat screen television that was constantly playing NATO summits and World Issues. It reflected th very facility, a conmection between the modern world and a world riddled with tyrants and anarchist.

Sophia rarely entered the office, choosing to remain in her lab, going over findings and data. It had once been a safe haven for her, but once weapons and artifacts began to be placed in there she didn't want to be there anymore. Didn't want to sit there with things that had been used to create violence. Her father, however, sat there in that office like he does every night. Playing the piano as one of his meetings plays out on the television. It was a common site nowadays. "So the regression went well?" Alan Rikkin asked, standing up from the pian, his daughters arrival meant that it was almost time for his departure. "Lynch is the one. A direct descendant of Aguilar. Unlike his mother, everything was clear in there for the first time." She mused, shaking her head as she watched the summit play out before her. "I see you stole my lines again." 

"I only steal from the best. And the Artifact?" Alan asked turning around to look at his daughter, his eldest child. "The Apple is within our grasp. Unlike the last descendant, we will get it this time." Sophia explained, remembering the last time they had placed Subject 19 into Andalucia. Failure. That was all that ever seemed to happen each time they got closer to getting a Piece of Eden. "What happened in there? Why did you pull him?" Alan asked, leaning against the table. "You didn't pull the others. You never pull the others." He added before Sophia tensed up at his remark. The failed subjects were not her fault. At least in her mind, in her opinion, none of it was. And perhaps she didn't pull the others, but she had her reasons."We have to keep him healthy. Earn his confidence. And I know he'll lead us to it." Sophia argued back, trying to keep her composure steady.

Alan fiddled with the clip on his cuff, keeping his gaze on Sophia. "I bet anything he won't. Subject 19 never did, and neither did those who came after her. Subject 20 and 22. Then again their bloodline was always my favorite, and if that bloodline can be pushed to use the Animus for almost a thousand years of Assassins and Templars then surely he can do the same. So, push him, Sophia. Unless you want him to be just like the others." Alan explained and Sophia shook her head in protest. The chances of Aguilar's life ending before they found out where the Apple was didn't add up correctly with their data. There was no way that the last one could be like the others.

"That's different and you know it. That is not how the Animus works either."

Sighing, Alan looked down at his cuff, before Sophia walked over to help him with it. "Here you go." Sophia said in a softer tone, kinder. She didn't like fighting with her father. Not when he was just about the only family left in her life. "Thank you. 1917, Rutherford splits the atom. 1954, Watson and Crick find the double helix. 2016, my daughter finds the cure for violence." Alan told her l, lifting her face up by her chin so that she would look at him. "You've always been brighter than me. Brighter than Jason." Sophia forced a smile at that, or perhaps it wasn't very forced was it? She had never been jealous, never wanted to be her fathers favorite, and she wasn't. At least she knew that, but if violence was cured. If she did go down into history like those who came before her in science did. Then maybe she would become a star in her fathers eye.

Alan inhaled deeply, feeling the cool air of the room fill his lungs. Tension had consumed him, and no matter how much Sophia smiled he doubted that would give him a better outlook on what was to come. "Now, I am going to be late. I have to report to the Elders."

* * *

"Francisco Rizi's Grand Inquisition, 1492. War, religious persecution, and the closest Father Torquemada or any of the Templar Order came to finding the Apple of Eden." Ellen Kaye said, looking at the painting depicting a Faux de pas. "Next week when the Elders meet we shall vote to discontinue your Abstergo Project. We feel that giving you three billion annually would be better spent elsewhere." Ellen told him, being rather blunt about the situation.

"Three billion is nothing compared-" 

"We've won. People no longer care about their civil liberties. They care about their standard of life. The modern world has outgrown notions like freedom. They're content to follow."

"The threat remains while free will exist. For centuries, we've tried, with religion, with politics, and now consumerism to eliminate dissent. Isn't it time we give science a try? We have come close to getting the Apple before, but my daughter has found the final solution."

"How is your beautiful daughter?"

"She has traced the protectors of the Apple, and has found another bloodline."

"Where?"

"Andalucia, 1492."

"The descendants?"

"All of Aguilar's bloodlines have died out. But one. We've traced his bloodline back to over 500 years to the Assassins Brotherhood. He is the one my daughter spoke to you about. Callum Lynch is the perfect match as promised."

* * *

Callum jerked awake, images of the bright sun, the scent of fire, the feeling of blood on his finger tips...A nightmare that seemed to be more than that. It was nothing like the ones he once had back on death row. Even if the images that ran through his mind were similar. Sitting up from the bed that they had placed him in, he began to study the room. There was the bed, the small table that was placed beside it. A white bench, and a long narrow white shelf that seemed to house essential items and extra clothing. Even if it was all the same in design and color. Then, probably his favorite part of the room, was the camera in the corner and the glass wall that gave anyone outside in that hall a perfect view of the room. Lovely. It seems he had traded in a prison cell for a prison cell. 

Stepping closer to the glass, Cal stared at the figure behind it. Not exactly what he had expected to see watching him. It was a woman, dressed in a black trench coat that seemed to be more of a dress than anything. She sat in a white chair, a chello and bow string in her hands, but he couldn't see her face. The shadows of the hall and the music stand hid her from his view. And it was as if she had sensed him watching her, that the movements had stopped, the light sound he could barely hear from behind the glass haulting rather abruptly. She placed the instrument back into its case, grabbed the stand and sheet music, and left. Her presence being replaced by a line of stoic guards. Even if he didn't hear her play, he didn't want her to leave, although he couldn't exactly place why. 

Then he felt it, a sudden shift in the very air itself, he felt as if something had left him. Turning around, his suspision was confirmed. It was him, but it wasn't. No, it was what he had become while in the Animus, it was what had walked towards him once he left it. A sharp click filled the air and Cal could only watch as the man moved towards him. He was as graceful as any predator was, but he didn't watch for long. He simply shut his eyes, tensed up, waiting for the feeling of a sharp blade cutting into his flesh. However, that feeling, that pain, never came. Only the sharp sound of a door opening and then locking.

"The hallucinations are what we call the Bleeding Effect. Images of your regression layer themselves over your present day field of vision. Eventually you'll begin to hear them, touch them, even conjure them in times of emotional or physical distress. Sometimes you can even shift into them, creating a hallucination of your own for others to see. However, the latter only presents itself after multiple Animus sessions." Sophia explained, walking closer towards him, and Cal felt as if he was in distress. He had to turn away from her, perhaps if he looked back out he could imagine the woman. Imagine the music she is able to play. But Sophia is rather persistent when it comes to these things. 

"If you allow me. I can teach you how to control them." Reaching out, he felt the distress, the anger, rush through him. Tightening his grip he pressed her against the glass wall of his new cell. "Stand down. I have this." Sophia called out, and Cal felt as if he wanted to do much worse to her than simply choking her. "What is it? The machine?" He asked aggressively, tightening his grip more closer towards her jaw bone. "It's genetic memory. By using the Animus we can relive live of those who made us who we are." That shift came back, a blade scrapping against the glass, whispering to him. Coming up to rest against her neck. It was telling him what he needed to-

Squeezing his eyes shut, Cal stopped the train of thought, the feeling of wanting to slip back into whatever it was that filled him during the regression. Gaining composure back after that was hard. He wasn't sure why, but he didn't exactly want to fight back against this Bleeding Effect.

"What I saw in there it felt real."

"It was. In a way."

Slamming his hand against the wall, Callum clenched his teeth together, another wave of anger going through his body. "Don't mess with me!"

"I feel different now." 

And he did feel different, he felt stronger, faster, lighter on his feet. He was hearing and seeing things that weren't real, and that feeling. Whatever it had been that had consumed him during the regression hadn't left. Whatever it had been wasn't there before, but now it settled in his mind. 

Showed him things.

Told him things.

But Sophia knew this. The same way she knew what to tell him when he had awoken from death. The same way she knew what to say when he was being put into the Animus for the first time. He was not the first person she has done this too, and something tells him that he is in no way the last.

"Why the aggression?"

"I'm an aggressive person...what kind of prison is this?"

"It's not a prison, Cal. You'll learn more if you cooperate. Now let me go."

* * *

"I'm hungry."

"Come with me."

 

 

 

 

 


	6. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Callum gets a better understanding from Sophia about what Abstergo is and why he is there.
> 
> -Things don't exactly go well when meeting the other test subjects.
> 
> -And Sophia speaks with Subject 19 about the recent incident

This wasn't the cafeteria that he had imagined when Sophia told him to go with her. There was no food, only technicians, all hunched over different paintings, documents, and books. Then towards the back, where Sophia seemed to be leading him to there were glass walls with papers stuck on them. Not exactly what he would call a cafeteria, but he assumed this must be some kind of lab. Looking at the papers more closely, he sees that it is a photo, one of him when he was nothing but a child. Lined up with other photos, newspaper and magazine articles, hospital records, letters, old photos of hooded-

"What is this?"

"I know everything about you, Cal. Your medical data, your psychological profile, the mutations in your MAOA gene. I know about the foster homes, the juvenile halls. You're living proof between heredity and crime."

"How did you find me?" Cal asked as he continued to study the wall. A timeline that kept going back, through his mothers ancestry, following early black and white photos, letters, pieces of documents, and small trinkets. Going from America during the 1800s, to what seemed to be France during their revolution. All leading up to what had to be the oldest of them all. An old sketch of a hooded figure, barely recognizable against the yellowed paper. "We found Aguilar." Sophia said motioning to the last person on this timeline. "And when you were arrested your DNA matched his"

"Who's Aguilar?" Cal asked, keeping his attention onto the drawing. The timelime showed that he had two children. Josephine Graldina de Al-Andalucia, 1491-1504, and then a son before her whose name appeared unknown, 1482-1545. "Your ancestor." Looking back at his photo to Aguilars, from the dates to the names, this wasn't just a timeline, it was a bloodline. "His family were Assassins. They were burned at the stake by the Templars, Torquemada, and the black kight you saw, Ojeda. Aguilar took up the Assassins' cause. Where he was mentored by the woman you saw, Maria de Al-Andalucia, a master Assassin whose family had ruled over Andalucia for the Brotherhood." 

Nodding along, Cal studied the paintings of the Inquisition and the Templars. Clippings from books hanging beside them, before he looked at another wall. The painting was a portrait of the assassin from his regression, the blue eyed woman that he had sketched; a bloodline of her own following behind. Circling around, he bit his tongue, he needed information, and this doctor didn't take kindly to threats. "Do you get out much?" He asked, turning around to study everything that was on this side. "More than you." Sophia snarked back smiling at him as if he was a saint. "And the others in here are they lab rats too?" Callum asked looking at the multicolored papers. These must be from her lab rats that she is still using. "They're murderers, like their ancestors. Descendants of Assassins and Templars. Like you, Cal. All born with a predisposition to violence." Sophia remarked, studying over the patients herself. There were only around sixteen here. Sixteen papers compared to the sixty-eight active test subjects in this facility, and the twenty-five inactive patients that Abstergo housed. 

"Murderer?" Callum questioned, turning to look at her. He wouldn't exactly call himself that. "You killed a man." Sophia said, looking upon him with a fearfull gaze, as if he had killed women before instead of- "A pimp." He answered, more to himself, than to her. But he had just given her everything she needed, admitting to violence. "Would you kill again?" Now that, that was the question wasn't it? He knew he would kill again. Kill anyone who harmed a woman. Just like that pimp did with those teenage girls at that bar. At least, he did before Cal stabbed him to death.

Picking up a framed photo that seemed to catch his attention he smiled at it. "Happy families. She must be very proud." 

The photograph itself was of a woman, laughing with a child in her arms, something he was sure he hasn't seen in years. "I wouldn't know. She was killed by an Assassin." Sophia answered, her eyes meeting his own. "Like your mother." Cal met her gaze before dropping it. "Sorry." He muttered, placing the frame back down. "My old man killed my mother." And that bastard wasn't an Assassin. Far from it, he could barely keep a job, and no automachanic shop wanted him in Mexico. "And how does that make you feel?" Sophia asked. For a woman who has read his psycological profile, Cal found it sadistically funny how she seemed to know nothing of him. "Like killing him." Cal replied calmly. And he knew he would if the chance came. His mothers death wouldn't have been in vain, and unlike when he was a child, he could kill now. 

"Either we let it affect us for the rest of our lives or we do something about it." Sophia said, following him, as she swiftly changed the subject. Directing it back towards her own goal.                 Laying on the other side was more papers, layouts, and setting below were round 3D models. Each different, yet all round with the same size. Twelve to be exact. He wanted to pick the second before the last, but instead he picked up the eleventh one. "You turned to violence. I turned to science. It's the Apple of Eden, Cal. I believe it exist, and I know that there are indeed twelve of them in total. Now, we have already found an Apple, all thanks to a man named Desmond Miles. A past test subject, like you Cal, but it wasn't the Apple. You see, The Bible tells us it contained the seed of man's first disobediance, or at least the first Apple did. But there are those of us who believe that God, or some Ancient First Civilization has left us a road map to understand why people are violent. There were seven protectors of the Apple, Aguilar and Maria were the last surviving protectors. Aguilar, Maria, Ojeda, and Torquemada were the last to come into contact with it...Aguilar was the last person known to have had it in his possession. We need you to find out where he hid it." Sophia explained, as Cal rolled the metal 3D model in his hands. 

It is a new revelation, one that contracts against her own words, "I thought I was here to be cured." Cal stated firmly. Watching her every movement. Waiting for a slip up of any kind to show him just what exactly her goals were. "Violence is a disease, like Cancer. And like cancer, we hope to control it one day." Sophia remarked, yet pointing out social darwinism to her seemed like another dead end.

"Violence is what kept me alive."

"Well, techniclly, you're dead."

Snorting, Cal tossed the Apple to her, "I'm hungry."

* * *

"What's in it for me?"

"Once my research is complete there is no reason to keep you here."

"I get my life back?"

"Better. A new one."

* * *

The mess hall was on the other side of the facility. Away from the labs and the Animus room, and closer towards the rooms that the lab rats are kept in. Even if Sophia denied such a term, preferring the term Subject, followed by a number, as he had learned his new status as Subject Sixty-Nine. 

Walking inside the mess hall he observed the place. Yoga balls and a small performing area was on the left, while a basketball court was on the right and there was a second one towards the end of the mess hall. Then towards the middle was black tinted glass, guards monitoring the room, and across from there was a large garden. Who would take up gardening as a hobby when they are prisoners? It seemed like an odd thing for Cal, then again there was classic music and jungle noises echooing from the speakers. 

* * *

"You don't know who he is, what he is. That's a dangerous man."

"Give him a little more time, Emir. The man might prove to have some noble blood in him yet."

"Moussa, you said the same thing about the Fryes. Remember that incident? I had to stop Nathan from killing them thanks to you."

"....you wanna know something, Emir? How can you come from Yusuf, yet remain with such a grey cloudy look on life? It's not very appealing"

* * *

Cal passed the guards, trying his best to ignore everything that was moving around him. That was until the man who told him to jump off of the building stalked towards him. The one with the dark skin tone, peppered beard, and facial scar. Hiding something behind his back. "How about here, sir? It's an open menu, but we do recommend the chicken." The man said, mockingly, patting his hand against the seat at the silver, metal lunch tables. It almost made him feel as if he was in elementary school again. "What can I get you Mr. Lynch? It's an open menu, but we do recommend the chicken." A brown haired woman asked, dressed in pure white like the other orderlies and technicians. Cal looked back at the man who gave him a comical 'I know' look. "I'll have a steak." He said, curling his fingers against each other against the cool metal table. "Steak for the pioneer!" He announced, his tone booming against the classic music, jungle sounds, and just about every other activity that was going on. 

"Who are you?"

"They call me Moussa. But my name is Baptiste. I'm dead 200 years now. Voodoo poisoner. I'm harmless." Moussa stated quietly. As if thisvwas some big secret, before chuckling at Cal, giving him a wink. Cal turned his attention to the others in the room, or at least to the others who seemed to be watching him. The first, was a dark haired young man, who seemed tall and lean. Very similar to the one named Jason that he had seen earlier in the day. Watching him from the basket ball court. Then there was the Asian woman, watching him from the corner of her eye a few tables down, her attention soon returning to the black deck of cards in her hands. Then there was the gardener, the man Moussa had been with, who gave him a death stare behind potted plants. Finally, there was Jason, an old top hat sitting upon his head, as he sat with the Asian woman, cleaning a pair of- brass knuckles?

"Ah! They're watching you. Waitin' to see who you are, pioneer." 

"Have you met him yet?" Moussa asked before repeating in a more serious tone. The laid back man was gone, replaced by someone who was much sterner. "Have you met him yet?" Getting up from the table, Cal almost wanted to grab him. But before he could Moussa was already out of his seat. "We are the last to protect the Apple, my friend. Make the wrong choice you gonna send us all to inifinity!" Moussa exclaimed, doing a quick jazz hand motion with his hands, before disappearing around a corner. It was comical, laughable even, if not completely insa-.

A book hit the table in front of him, snapping him out of his thoughts, before a woman sat down. It was the same woman who had been playing to him if what she was wearing was any indication of it. The collar and cuffs were tight, the black material very much like that of a trench coat. Her skin was pale, hair braided and twisted back against her scalp, before the rest was seemingly pilled into a messy bun. It was different, but similar, Cal was sure he had seen her from somewhere, and it wasn't until she sat down and looked up at him that he knew. Those blue eyes. Maria. But something kept trying to come up in the back of his mind. Did he know her before knowing of Maria? No, that would be impossible...Then, sitting next to her, was a mini-Maria, dressed differently from the other subjects as well. Her hair and eyes matching the older woman beside her, accept they didn't, not entirely, her brunette hair had a red tint and her eyes were blue, but unlike Maria's it was as if they were-

"Here. Pick one."

Mini-Maria asked, holding out a paper fortune teller that she had taken from the older womans book. Tapping his finger against the paper he picked blue. R-E-D "Pick again." Yes or No. He tapped his finger against yes, looking back up at the mini-Maria before shifting his gaze to Maria herself. Who seemed to be sketching small drawings of Aguilar and Maria inside of the large book that she had placed on the table. Why draw a regression?

"Pick again." One, two, four, five. "Five." One, two, three, four, five- she opened it and Cal could hardly believe his eyes. That symbol, that was his mothers necklace...

"Where did you get that?" Cal asked, need, panic, he felt overwhelmed, which didn't help when Maria grabbed the paper fortune teller. Placing it within her book that she quickly closed and began to walk away with. Callum left his half-eaten steak, getting up from the table, "Wait! Please! Where did you see that from?" Cal asked, speeding up to grab her arm, but as soon as he did that she spun around. Dropping the book, she hit him hard across the face with her elbow, before dropping to the ground to take his feet out from under him with a solid kick. Standing back up perfectly as if nothing had happened, she leaned down to look at him. "Do not fight against him. He is trying to help you." She finally spoke, her english laced with a French accent. "Wait." Cal huffed out reaching for her, but the guard who had shot him when he first arrived had grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her. Pulling her out of the mess hall entirely.

"You sure know how to make a mess of things don'tcha? You saw that too, right Lara? Poor Cal over here messed with your mother." Jasons' voice sounded as the mini-Maria, no, Lara picked up the book. Callum had never heard Jason speak before, but he sported the same English accent as the Rikkins. "Val has the kick of a steam train. I'm sure you remember that though. Right, Aguilar?" He teased before handing one of the brass knuckles he had been cleaning over to Lara. "Let's leave before McGowen comes back. I don't feel like getting thrown into solitary just for associating with you." Jason remarked, causing Lara to roll her eyes, her arms wrapping the book even tighter around her chest. "Like you don't cause enough trouble on your own. Remember that steam train? Remember that incident?" She argued back, a smile on her face, as the two strolled away out of the mess hall. A loud, "You caused an explosion, Miss innocent!", was shouted from the halls before Cal saw a group of guards run ahead towards the direction the two had left in.

They had left him alone, slightly in pain, and reeling in everything that had just happened. When a shadow stalked towards him he assumed it was a guard, but turning around he saw exactly who it was. "This belongs to you." The death stare gardener stated, dropping a tiny apple onto the ground beside his body, before walking away. Leaving the basket ball player glarring down at him. "You're gonna lead them right to it." He snarled and Cal could only laugh as he tried sitting up. Curling his hand around the small, yellow thing.

"No. I'm going to eat it."

* * *

"What were you doing in the common room? I told both you and Lara to stay away from there for today...why, Valeria?" Sophia asked sternly, before turning her attention back to the glowing blue water of the Animus. Valeria had her arms crossed over her chest, her gaze falling to the center of the Animus chamber, and across from there the case that holds Maria's hidden blades.

"I remember him. And not just as Aguilar either." Valeria spoke, before turning back around to face Sophia. "What will you do to him? Once you've gone through all of his memories? He is not going to end up like me, or Lara, or Jason. Your father does not favor him. So what will happen Sophie?" Valeria questioned, looking down at the woman before her.

"I'm sorry, Val. But if Cal ends up like his father-"

"He won't. You'll make sure of that. You care about finding the Apple to much to let that happen."

"I suppose you're right. Tomorrow, you will join him in the Animus."

* * *

* * *

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Whoo! So that chapter happened! I really hope you liked seeing more of Jason, and getting a tiny expansion onto Lara's character(Who I do not own! She sadly belongs to the film makers.) 
> 
> -I also hope you like Valeria. She is Maria, at least in the same way that Callum is Aguilar and Moussa is Baptiste and so on. I promise I am going to expand on this French beauty besides her talent in the fine arts and her ability to drop Callum onto his ass.
> 
> -The child of Aguilar, the daughter whose name in the film is read out as (Josephin- Graldin- last name unknown), to be exact is his actual daughter according to Sophia's timeline in the movie. Judging by her date of birth she is indeed Maria's daughter as well, however her date of death is in 1504. She died young :( And by her death this shows that Aguilar must have had a child before he became an Assassin. 
> 
> -Adding up to that ^^^ in order for Lara(who scenes were deleted) to have existed this means that Maria had a child before their daughter. Timeline wise I suspect Maria had her child in her late teens to early twenties. Long before meeting Aguilar.
> 
> -I hope you enjoyed the chapter guys! Give me any feedback on this.


	7. The Holy Fire of God

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Sophia and Alan argue once again about Callum. Meanwhile,
> 
> -Callum is placed within the Animus again, only this time he is unstable and not alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In reguards to my last chapter as well as the movie I bet that "mutation in your MAOA gene" line went right over your head as it did with me.
> 
> So I assume that all of you are wondering what Sophia Rikkin meant by Cal's MAOA gene so here is what I have gathered:
> 
> Monoamine oxidase A, also known as MAO-A, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the MAOA gene. This gene is one of two neighboring gene family members that encode mitochondrial enzymes which catalyze the oxidative deamination of amines, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Basicly, it is a behavior gene, one that everyone has. However, those who have a mutation in their MAOA gene are the reason that the MAOA gene is dubed as "the warrior gene".  
> The mutated MAOA gene causes its carriers to be more willing to take risks while simultaneously enabling them to better assess their chances of success in critical situations.  
> Individuals also display higher levels of aggression in response to provocation, turning to violence.
> 
> As Sophia Rikkin pointed out, Cal along with the other test subjects all have this mutation in their MAOA gene. Hinting towards both Assassins and Templars having this genetic mutation.  
> Now Sophia says she wishes to use these descendants of Assassins and Templars in order to cure violence. And she isn't wrong in that reguard by using the mutated gene that these descendants(and most likely their ancestors aswell) have.
> 
> If she can cure violence caused by this genetic mutation, then surely the gene itself can be manipulated, as the MAOA gene is a behavioral gene. 
> 
> Disturbing isn't it?

_Crazy. I'm crazy for-what did I-_ _La shaiq' waqee mutlak bl kollin mumkin._

* * *

"He has to go back into the Animus." Alan Rikkin stated as Sophia examined a photograph from that she had been found at a burial site. The Assassin in it had remained unidentified, all accept for the initials A.F, 1945. It had to have been the oldest Assassin that had been found discovered during the Era of Modernization. Pre-dating Lydia Frye herself, perhaps there was a relation? Placing the magnifying glass down Sophia turned around to face her father. Why was her work always being interrupted?

"Now." 

"He needs more time before he goes in again. Last night, I considered placing Subject 19 in there with him, but I do not believe his mind could handle the bond that would form as well as the Bleeding Effect. Just give me more time." Sophia pleaded, but the look that her father was giving her caused hesitation to form. "We don't have time." Alan stated back, his tone remaining rather dreadful. "Why? I won't risk his life. Not when we are this close to getting the Apple." Sophia argued back. Crossing her arms across her chest she met her fathers gaze. "Then I'll have to find someone else to do it."

* * *

Callum sat on the bed in his imprisonment, his eyes closed, as he tried to block out all of the sound. A loud banging seemed to be echooing from the walls, hitting his ears, like the sound of war drums. That song repeating over and  _over._

 _Why did I let myself worry-_ _La shaiq' waqee-Why did I let myself go-mutlak bl kollin mumkin._

Opening up his eyes, he took a moment for them to adjust to the light, before he looked behind the glass again. Standing up from his bed he walked towards the center of the room. The chanting, the whispering, seemed to hiss around him.  _La shaiq' waqee mutlak bl kollin mumkin._ _La shaiq' waqee mutlak bl kollin mumkin._ It continued, as Aguilar appeared from behind the glass. Watching him with those dark brown eyes. Stepping through the glass his form rippled with that same black mist that he had seen in his first regression. Cal was in shock, this seemed so real, how could it just be a hallucination?

Swinging his arm out, Aguilar striked at him, barely missing Cal's face before the dead prisoner had time to back away. Strike after strike, Aguilar aimed at him, before kicking his leg out to strike Cal down. Callum was barely missing these punches and kicks. Almost getting hit each time by a  _hallucination._ Hitting back, Cal froze, Aguilar was gone, vanished, but turning around he noticed that the man had appeared again. Hitting back Cal dodged a punch, kicking back against Aguilar, before pushing his palm as hard as he could against his chest. But as soon as Aguilar had disappeared again the door clicked open. Orderlies crept into the room. Their white uniforms standing out starkly against they colors of his cell. Grabbing the first ones arm Callum slammed the man into the wall before head butting his partner. The first orderly, however, had already recorvered throwing his fist out towards him. Grabbing his arm and using his momentum against him he flipped the man over his shoulder. Just before the guards ran in with their batons out. Cal slammed his fist against the side of the mans head before punching the woman in the face. The third guard rushed in soon after kicking Cal in his stomach, giving the fourth guard enough time to grab his arm. Callum kicked the first guard again as the man tried standing up, struggling against the two guards who held him back, before the female guard sttiked him hard against his face. 

As they dragged him out of his room, his vision began to waver. Black spots popped up against the greys and blues of Abstergo. Leaving him blinking repeatedly as he looked up at who he finally registered as being the Head of Security. The one who had shot him. Who dragged that woman out of the mess hall. "You're up, slugger." He spoke motioning to the end of the hall. Slugger? "I'm crazy." Cal spoke back, laughing as blood ran down his face. They were dragging him away- _La shaiq' waqee mutlak bl kollin mumkin-_ taking him away to the place where the dead people are!  _Oh, Joy!_

* * *

"I'm crazy! Crazy for feeling so lone _llllyyy."_

* * *

"They're getting him back in again."

"Then we should stop him before he betrays us."

"We know what is at stake here. Even you Moussa."

"I agree with Mulan on this one. We can't just let Abstergo get away with this."

"I too agree, even with Jason, we cannot sit back and become the prey."

"Do not call me Mulan ever again."

* * *

The Animus powered up, everything switching on, running diagnostics for the regression. Sophia hadn't used the the second arm for the Animus since they went through the Fryes memories. However, Subject 19 had been placed with a partner before in the Animus, but it wasn't Subject 19 that she was worried about. "Set the date for the sixth. If his condition deteriorates, pull him out, pull them both out. I cannot have Aguilar and Maria die before we discover the Apple." Sophia ordered to the technician who operates the arm. "But your father-" Sophia glared at him, "I do not care what my father said."

"Why do I let myself worry? What in the world did I do _oo!"_

Callum could feel the arm pulling him up as he sung. They just didn't know, didn't understand-"Cal, listen to me. Listen to me!" Sophia shouted from below.

"Cause I'm crazy for crying!"

"You have to stay with Aguilar."

"Crazy for crying."

"Stay in sync with him or it could be dangerous for both you and Valeria!"

"And I'm crazy for loving  _yoooou!"_

* * *

People clamored against the hard limestone ground. Banging their feet and poles against the rock as they shouted amongst one another. 

Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon sat upon their wooden thrones, looking out among the crowd of people who had gathered to celebrate the faux de pass that would commence. The heretics that had been fanning the flames against the city had been captured, the Queen of Andalucia with them, all delivered as promised by Torquemada. Those of high statues, the priest, and Catholics from Castile and Aragon had come down to witness this themselves. Looking down amongst the locals that had been converted from their jewish and islamic faiths and into the true house of God. 

Down in the cellars, guards roamed around locking gates, and the captive heretics awaiting their deaths were chained to the walls. Speaking in courses of Spainish, Arabic, and Hebrew amongst themselves, or rather to themselves. Maria looked straight ahead, not having the strength to look at her novice, knowing that she had failed him.  _"Soon they will march on Granada."_ She spoke as she tried to calm her breathing. But the air was already filled with ash and filth.  _"Sultan Muhammed is weak. He'll surrender the Apple and betray the Creed for the Prince's life."_ Aguilar spoke in truth, knowing what was going to take place after their deaths. Maria looked at him, her blue eyes starring right into his own, giving him that same stern look she always did when he said something that he shouldn't have. But this time her stern look had fallen as soon as he looked back at her. A silent understanding between the two of them. Maria shifted, leaning in closer to him,  _"Love makes us weak."_ She spoke, and Aguilar knew exactly why she had told him that. It was something that weakened them both, from the love they held of each other, to the love they held for their daughter. Turning to her, Aguilar shifted against his chains, so that he could face her as well.

_"I would glady sacrifice my flesh and my blood so that the Creed lives on."_

They chanted together, blue eyes meeting brown, as the two took in every feature of the others face. Knowing that they would die together was almost more of a curse than it was a gift. Footsteps approached them, their time coming to an end, so they showed each other one last moment, one last moment for the two of them to be close to each other without flames consuming them. Aguilar pressed his head against Maria's, memorizing the color of her eyes and the warmth of her skin one last time before they were seperated. A guard unhooked Maria's chains from the wall first, whilst another one unhooked Aguilar. Dragging the two of them to stand behind their mentor.

 _"When I die today don't waste your tears."_ Maria told him, but before he could retort a bell rung from outside. A line of armed soldiers began to march ahead, dragging the Assassins along with them, as a way to make sure that no civilian is to end their lives. People shouted at them, dressed in paint and wool and mask depicting demons. The people screamed at them, wielding Catholic crosses and bones. And to think that these people once had a mind of their own. The executioner looked down upon them at the end of the crowd before they were walked out towards the stakes. Soldiers banged against their drums, a loud thunderous noise that echooed against Aguilars ears. However, everything quietened down as Torquemada raised his hands.

 _"The Lord spoke and he said if a man not abide in me he is cast into the fire and he is burned!"_ Torquemada spoke, hot oil was poured onto the branches below them, their chains digging into their flesh, as the crowd cheered in agreement.  _"For decades you have lived in a land torn apart by religious discord. But soon, thanks to God and the Inquisition, we will purge this disease!"_ Torquemada exclaimed, shouting out his prayers of bloodshed to the bloodthirsty crowd before him.  _"The sinners before you sought to defend the heretic Prince of Granada. The last heathen stronghold in our Holy War."_ He preached, as Ojeda dismounted from his horse, his onyx and silver eyes meeting Aguilar's and Maria's.  _"And so today before our King and Queen. I swear that we shall was ourselves clean in the Holy Fire of God!"_ The people cheered, banging and screaming even louder than they had before. Even more so as the executioners began to nail down the chains by the heretics feet. 

_"Behold God's will."_

_"Behold God's will!"_

Ojeda stared up at Aguilar, his gaze shifting to Maria, before falling back to the man whose life he had once spared.  _"Today you will watch your mentor die and then you will die the slowest."_ He spoke, before turning on his heel to walk towards Bennedicto. Grabbing a burning stake, Ojeda looked up at the defeated man before him.  _"Not to ourselves but to the future give glory."_ Ojeda said, watching as the older man tensed and closed his eyes, shaking against his chains. Releasing the torch, the flames consumed the mentor as Aguilar finally broke his chain loose. Flipping off from the wooden stake, Aguilar grabbed one of Ojeda's knights, pushing the man off of the stage, before taking his sword to break Maria free. Maria broke one soldiers neck with a sickening crunch, spinning herself around on the chains as Aguilar fought off the Templars. Seeing the fire draw near to her, Aguilar cried out, running to knock the stake and Maria down.  _"Damned heretics!"_

The executioner swung his axe down towards Maria in an attempt to kill her, but Aguilar had grabbed ahold of her ankles. Swinging her back, Maria flipped, rolling behind the man so that Aguilar could wrap the chain around his neck. Pulling the chain back, Maria dug her foot into the mans spine, the two Assassina breaking his neck. Grabbing the axe, Aguilar threw it towards the jugs of oil, before they fled, creating an explosion as the stage burst into flames.  _"Don't let them escape! Go!"_ Torquemada yelled out, ordering the Templars to chase after the two Assassins. 

Aguilar and Maria looked down at the scene, the Black Knight Templars were already after them, leaving them no choice but to leave the Prince. Pulling up their hoods they began to run, fighting the Templars that had already made it onto the roof. Maria stabbed a soldier with her hidden blade, before kicking the man that Aguilar had been fighting off of the building. Running the two Assassins flipped off of the other side. Hitting the ground hard with a roll as more Templars began ti follow them. Aguilar and Maria worked together, manuvering themselves as the landed on a roof that they would have to slide down. Grabbing the wooden beams below Maria began to leap from them, Aguilar not far behind, as bolts from crossbows hit the buildings beside them. As fast as they could they ran across the building in an attempt to dodge any crossbow fire. The building across from it would be their only hope to get across, so they bared their footing and ran harder than before. Kicking their feet off of the ground as they leaped. Arms out stretched towards the hard rock. Aguilar hit first, wood cutting into his ribs, whilst Maria landed with her feet on the edge. If it wasn't for Aguilar grabbing her chain she would have fallen.

Getting steady footing onto the new building, Maria dodged a Templar, just for another one of Ojeda's soldiers to knock her down into the drop below. Leaping in after her with his sword ready. Maria dodged his swing, the sword imbedding itself into the wall, before she stole the other mans spear. Hitting them both as hard as she could, before stabbing the swordsman with the hilt. Above her, Aguilar had stolen one of his own, hitting any Templar that got to close.  _"Aguilar! Ojeda is trailing us. He is not far behind from his men!"_ Maria yelled out as she climbed back up onto the roof, leaving the two dead bodies behind her. 

Aguilar followed closely behind as they raced towards the armory. Ojeda's men shot at them, chasing after the two Assassins. No doubt knowing where they were headed too. Aguilar and Maria ran through someones home, running out towards their balcony, befire scailing the walls. Jumping back and forth, using their momentuem to their advantage. Getting up onto the top of the citidel, Aguilar knocked off a soldier, before him and Maria maneuvered themselves towards a statue of Mary. They were getting closer, but looking down into the streets Ojeda was right there with them. 

Racing across the citidel, Maria leaped up, wrapping her legs around a soldiers head, before taking him down with her. Landing on cables, Maria and Aguilar ran across them, balancing themselves. However, Ojeda had cut the banasters, sending the two Assassins down, holding onto the rope until they landed on a balcony. Or at least Maria did, as Aguilar went through the wooden window covering.

Getting up onto their feet they ran down the hall before entering the armory. Maria grabbed a throwing knife, slicing a soldiers throat open, before her and Aguilar both grabbed a bow and arrows. Running into the next hall, Maria pulled out an arrow, stabbing a soldiers arm as Aguilar shot down his companion. Grabbing the next soldier that ran down the hall, Maria slammed him into the wall by his head repeatedly as Aguilar tried aiming for him. Shooting at the wall, the arrow richocheted, hitting another soldier in the eye. 

Maria turned around, smiling at Aguilar in thanks, before the two of them ran into a families home. Ojeda bursted into the room, hitting Aguilar, before Maria took out a knife from the dinning table. The knife almost hit him but ended up stabbing one of his men. The man moved, glarring at the woman, as the two Assassins ran back out. Onto another building, Aguilar and Maria ran, ducking under colorful cloth they leaped out onto the next landing. However, Ojeda had followed them, falling down onto the platform below, almost taking Maria with him.

Once the two Assassins had reached the top Maria stepped onto the highest advantage point, Aguilar right behind her, but Ojeda was still after them. Looking back Maria watched as Aguilar dodged the arrow before she looked forward once more. Stepping out to take her leap of faith. Aguilar stepped forward, to where his partner had once been.

Closing his eyes he breathed in deeply before jumping.

* * *

"Jump!"

* * *

"Complete desync."

A technician said before Sophia noticed what was wrong. "Get them down! Where are the medics?" She yelled out running towards the two test subjects so that she could remove their epidurals. "McGowen grab her!" Sophia ordered pointing towards the seizing woman near Callum.

An alarm began to go off, triggering a shut down as the Animus shut down automaticlly for the emergancy.

"It's ok. It's ok, Cal. Stay with me, Cal."

Callum looked from Sophia to the woman a few feet from him. Something coiled within him, curling within itself like a cat,  _Maria,_ Aguilars voice called out,  _Callum._

 

 

 


	8. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Callum deals with the aftermath of his second regression and a revelation from Sophia.
> 
> -Afterwards, he speaks with Valeria reguarding the many things that he is still in the dark about.

The first thing he sees when he wakes up is Aguilar looking down at him. His form rippling with blue and yellow light, but then it hit's him. He is being held down underwater and he can't exactly feel everything. Which leaves Callum screaming until the water resides and whatever he is laying on rises back up to the surface. It isn't until then that he understands what he couldn't feel, it's his legs, everything below his waist is numb, but not in the way that your hand gets if you lay on it. No, it feels as if there is nothing there, "I can't feel my legs." 

"The paralysis is temporary."

"What's the bad news?"

"It caused a neurological split, but we got the both of you through it."

"Both?" Callum questioned, his mind feeling hazy, as he turned his head against the restraints. Why had she said that, why did she imply it? But then Sophia steps aside and he sees her. It's the woman again, dressed like the other test subjects, sitting in a wheelchair with a blanket wrapped around her. Her head is lolled to the side, and if it wasn't for the lighting he wouldn't have seen the dark circles under her closed eyes. Had they placed her in the Animus with him? "This time. Don't feel bad, Cal. If it wasn't for the bond that had formed between the two of you more damage would have occured."

"I'm gonna die in here, aren't I?" That is what happens to everyone isn't it? But Sophia doesn't show any emotional response to his words. She simply sits down beside him. "No. Not if you go in there of your own free will. The arm, even the Animus itself, was designed to combat against those who fight against it. If you go in there by your own free will then the rehabilitation tends to run smoother." She explains, her statement almost contradics what her goals are, but she needs him to live. To show them the Apple. 

"I can't do this."

"Yes. You can. The Apple, you're the only one left who can find it."

Callum glances over to the passed out, paralysed woman. "She cannot find it?" He ask, Maria was with him wasn't she? Didn't she have the same amount of knowledge reguarding the Apple that Aguilar had? "No, but Cal don't you see? We can put an end to pain. For everyone."

* * *

Sophia had given him his dry clothing back, along with a wheelchair, before leading him out of the room. He glanced back one last time at the woman who had been placed along in the Animus with him. He didn't like leaving her behind with a medic. Didn't exactly want to leave at all, but Sophia seemed presistant about something. Taking him back into the Animus room she wheeled him towards one of the glass cases. Hidden blades were in there, as well as knives and daggers, even small trinkets and items that had been on clothing were all placed in there. But he already knew who these items belonged to, the Spain Brotherhood. Sophia opened up the casing before walking back towards him and Cal felt as if he had been punched. The silver diamond shape was placed down upon an eight sided star, an upside down triangle appearing in the very center, merging with the symbol of the Assassin Brotherhood, hung from a beautifully designed chain, a necklace that he had memorized every detail of as a child. His mothers necklace. The one she had held during her death. 

Cal took it into his hands, remembering the last time he had seen it, dangling from bloody fingers. "Where'd you get this?" He asked, feeling anxiety run through him, every thought he had after that day seemed like a slap in the face as he held it against his palm. "My father recovered it from the scene of your mothers murder." Sophia spoke looking down at him with that same expressionless look. "And brought it here for safe keeping."

"Safekeeping?"

Safekeeping from a corpse or from the earth that would claim it? No, it was as clear as day. Her father held no emotional ties to his mother.

"You stole it."

"It's your mother's necklace, Maria's necklace. I wanted you to have it." Cal ran his thumb across the points of the necklace. It held value to him. To him and Aguilar both, so why would she give this to him? Something that she took to begin with. "Why was he there?" Cal questioned, keeping his gaze on Sophia, waiting for her to reach a fault like those liars on the streets had always done. 

"To save her."

"From who?"

"Her own people."

"What's it got to do with you?"

"Assassins and Templars had been at war for centuries. Two secret societies, both wanting the same thing, but with different means of achieving it. Both playing roles in history, with people who held important roles, from Leonardo Da Vinci to George Washington. They caused violence, changing history itself, and as they had caused violence their descendants do too. I aim to change that. For if those who have mutations in their MAOA gene can be cured, than surely the world can as well." Sophia said speaking the same way she had when she had shown him his bloodline.

"That's right, I forgot. We're here to combat aggression. I don't think I like your methods."

"I'm a scientist."

"I'm here to be cured of violence. Who's gonna cure you?"

"Cal, wait for one moment." He haulted his movements, keeping his grip on the wheels of his wheelchair. There was something in him-nagging him-as to why he was even listening to her. Another glass case was opened, and he could see that another necklace as well as a hand sized small black case was being removed from it. "These belonged to your fathers ancestor, Victor Lynch. I'm sure he would have wanted you to have these."

* * *

Callum didn't want to look at Sophia after that. Didn't want to come across her again after getting his point across. Leaving him to rolling around Abstergo, his mother's necklace in toll, until he finally returned to his cell, his room. But the room wasn't empty, the woman sat on his bed, drawing on that large book she carried around in the mess hall.

"Hello Cal. We never got to have a formal introduction did we?" The woman spoke, and her english was the same as it was before. "You're french." She seemed to find that amusing before she patted her hand down against the spot across from her. "And you're from Texas. I was expecting more of a southern drawl from you." Cal scoffed, relaxing his shoulders, before taking the spot across from her. "I'm Valeria. I thought that perhaps you had some questions. Why do they only recommend chicken? Is everyone here insane?" 

"Something like that."

"Well, go ahead, ask."

"You're Maria." She smiled at that, "And you're Aguilar." She remarked back, and Cal couldn't help the smirk that had tried to form rise up. "I remember you. From those images. Their apart of me, the same way they are with you." He said feeling as if the air had been knocked out of him. Emotions that belonged to Aguilar began to surface, and Cal would be lying if he said it wasn't overwhelming. Valeria smiled at him, a smile he hadn't seen in so long. "I remember you too." Callum thought back, leaning against the wall behind his bed. "Sophia mentioned something about a bond?"

There was a look of remembrance that made it's way across her face before she nodded. "When two people are placed in the Animus together a bond forms. They become inseparable, joined at the hip, because the Bleeding Effect only seems to worsen when their apart. Sophia first did it with Jason and Lara to get Jacob and Evie Fryes memories. But she noticed the bond that had formed, they were inseparable, and the technicians had been thrilled. That a neurological bond could form the way it did. They did it with me next. Placing me in the Animus with McGowen, an experiment of theirs."

"The Head of Security?"

"Yes, McGowen comes from a bloodline as well."

Callum looked at her with a rather stunned impression. It had never occured to him that Sophia coupd also put those working for her into the Animus. "Why would they do that?"

"They wanted to see how an Assassin and a Templar would be like when in the Animus together. They also wanted to see how our bond would be afterwards." Cal leaned forward, a bit disturbed at how Abstergo would experiment with that. "A bond did form but we can stand to be apart longer than Jason and Lara can. Longer than you and I will be able too. But the bond is still there, he still has to come near me almost everyday. Which isn't bad really. McGowen doesn't like Sophia, or Abstergo, or anyone for that matter. He just realises now some things that he once didn't five hundred years ago." The explanation wasn't very telling, but perhaps that was for the best.

"Ok, well what was up with the gardener with the death stare and his tall little buddy?" Cal asked, giving a quick glance to the tiny yellow apple sitting on the table beside his bed, in an attempt to change to another question.

"That would be Emir and Nathan. Emir is relatively silent unless he wants his opinion known. He comes from a turkish Assassin who was the mentor of the Ottoman Empire during the early 1500s. Nathan, however, well honestly you can argue and fight with him over anything. His ancestor was an Assassin turned Templar during the Golden Age of Piracy. It didn't really end well for him, so Nathan is a bit aggressive. The two of them are really protective over the other, so I wouldn't take any offense by it." Valeria explained drawing out an apple upon the light grew paper. That already sported drawings in both black and white color. "What about the mini you?" Cal asked remembering how she had shown him his mothers necklace on a paper fortune teller of all things. "That is my daughter, Lara. She is, well, Evie Frye to put it in better terms. Assassins from Victorian London."

"You say that as if there is more than one."

"That older boy you saw her with, Jason? Well, Jason is Alan Rikkin's son, Sophia's younger half-brother. He is apart of my bloodline, and is literally a slightly younger Jacob Frye."

"The Rikkin's would do that to their own family?"

"You would have to ask him about that."

"Alright then I suppose I should have expected that. So, why haven't any of you tried breaking out?" Callum asked her, pulling her book towards himself. He flipped through the pages before him. Images from his regression were in here, memories, some that he recognized, but most that he didn't.

"We have, but no plan ever works out. Sophia always stops us, or the guards. Leaving us now as suspects of every fight and riot that occurs, which you can thank Nathan and Jason for, if you ever get caught up in one."

Callum didn't wish to push upon the topic of failed escape attempts. At least, not when they've done it so much to the point where now it is expected of them. Looking back down at the book there were a few drawings that he couldn't remember. Drawings of Paris and England. "You have Templars in your bloodline?" He asked, innocently enough. For there were portraits of Templars, the detail if each drawn with care, unlike the onea from Maria's memories. "Is that why the three of you have those Templar crosses?" The first he had seen was on Jason, but sure enough both Valeria and Lara had one aswell. "Yes. Sophia found them, or rather, took them. However she did give them back so I cannot be mad at her." Valeria leaned forward, taking Callum's hand away from the pages, before turning forward the papers until the drawings went back to Assassins.

Looking upon the portraits of Maria's bloodline it made him wish for more information about his own. How many children did Aguilar have? How did that lead towards his mother? Yes, he saw what Abstergo had gathered, but at the time it didn't interest him. Not as much as finding out why he was here to begin with.

"You have my necklace."

"You can have it back, if you want."

Valeria looked at him in confusion, a look of why on her face. She didn't understand and he wasn't sure if he did either. Callum pulled the necklace up, running his finger across it one last time. "My mother had it, and she wore it until she died. I would like to think that she would have wanted me to pass it on. Just like she had planned." Looking back up at her, Cal looked at Valeria, his Maria. "Here. Allow me." He offered, moving closer to her, so that he could place it around her neck. 

"I'm sorry about today."

"It's no problem, Cal. We'll be spending more time in there together anyways." Valeria held the pendant in her hand. Looking down on it as you would once you had found something you had once lost. Cal reached out towards her, taking her warm pale hand in his the same way that Aguilar and always done to Maria, and just like that he remembered. A flash of him, of Aguilar, looking down at Maria as she recited the Creed.

"Promise me one thing. That if we get out of here. You'll tell me everything there is to know."

"I promise."

* * *

* * *

 

 

 


	9. Destruction Is A Universal Concept

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum finally meets Dr. Alan Rikkin and encounters his father once again. However, the other test subjects attempt to stop him before he can leave to enter the Animus for the third time.

Callum rolled the silver chain links between his fingers methodically as he kept his gaze towards the tinted glass. There was no Aguilar, no Valeria, no guards. There was nothing-attuned silence to his ears-leaving a dull hum from the lighting to greet him. It had only been an hour or two since he had been left alone. But time had gone by slowly, only being consumed with his own thoughts, all of which, felt like a reel. A repeating process of wondering why he was still cooperating with Sophia, if all of this was worth it, but he knew that he couldn't just do nothing.

Which left him where he was now, immersed in memories of Maria training Aguilar combat positions. Important striking techniques designed by herself and the past members of Spains Brotherhood. All designed for combat with a hidden blade, one that he didn't even have. Although it didn't matter, because in his memories he was Aguilar, or at least he was apart of him, and he had his hidden blades.

* * *

In the dim office of Alan Rikkin, McGowen watched the televison monitor above with a look of aggitation on his face. It didn't take a scientist to see what was happening here, what would happen. The Rikkins all had the same flaw it would seem. A flaw for destroying oneself by their own means. Alan had created the Animus Program to begin with, and had insisted upon starting a new division using the Animus 4.5. And Sophia had insisted upon getting descendants of important or rather deadly Assassins and Templars. Placing them all within the same place whilst trying to tame them into becoming docile. It was an obvious path of destruction, or at least it was obvious to him, but considering how most test Subjects looked upon him as one of them he wasn't sure as to were he would be standing once shit hit the fan.

"We're feeding the beast. We're making him stronger."

Because it was inevitable for Callum Lynch to become like the others. All with memories and the skill to be just as deadly as their ancestors, or even more so. Looking at his boss, he wondered if the man would see his fate. Because McGowen knew that in the end, once Aguilars memories faded away with his death, Callum would do something that he couldn't, that Valeria couldn't, that any of the others couldn't do in the end.

He would destroy the Rikkins in order to protect the Apple.

* * *

The door slowly opened automatically. Coming to a hault with a sharp click, as Alan Rikkin entered the cell. 

The older man was growing restless upon his daughters attempts at getting Lynch to cooperate. Time was as of the essence. Time was something that the Abstergo Foundation was running out of. However, there was still enough time to pull back onto the correct course. If they could just get one more regression out of Lynch they would get the Apple. Presented within just enough time for London, and then after, the world.

"I'm Dr. Rikkin. Alan. I look after things here in Abstergo."

"Like to keep things in the family, huh?" Callum had to bite his tongue before he mentioned the mans son, but perhaps that was what he had wanted all along. "Yes." Alan laughed, before his face fell back into a professional manner. "I'm sorry if we've caused you any discomfort. Is there anything I can do?"

"How about you let me out of here? Let all of us out." 

Alan smiled, oh this was gold, they all asked for that, but very few ever left. Unfortunately for those who did, they were dead. Sitting down upon the white bench, Alan began his plan, pushing everything into motion. "That's something I can't manage....I'm here to make a deal. We need the Apple. And we need you to get it for us. Now, follow me, I have something to show you."

* * *

"You've been dysnching in the Animus. We need you not to do that."

* * *

Moussa looked up at Sophia Rikkin, another plea on the tip of his tongue as she wrote down information reguarding what could only be presumed as the Bleeding Effect. "Sending me back to the machine?" He questioned. Last time had ended with Aveline and Baptiste death, which was something that he didn't necissarily want to relive again. 

"No. You've already shown us what we needed to see." Sophia stated not looking up from the paper below.

"Will you let us free then?"  _Freedom, Baptiste, freedom for the both of us, and Lin and Shao and Emir and Nathan and Yusuf-_

The look Sophia gave, however, would have killed a flower if the poor thing had fallen upon her gaze. She had silently shut him down. The promise of a new life was just that. A promise. Something made in the beginning to drag you along. But before he could begin to retort against her, a monitor turned on with a loud chiming sound. 

Following her gaze he looked upon the screen, the elder Rikkin seemed to be moving their pioneer around. "What do you wish to gain from the newcomer?"

"Something that'll benefit us all. You too, Moussa."

Across from him, underneath a glase caseing was smoke bombs and poison, all gathered from Spain, Britian, and Saint Domingues' Brotherhoods.

 _You know what to do. Just like I taught you._ Baptiste whispered from the back of his mind, and Moussa grinned. It was time for their new plan to go into action.

* * *

At the far end of the facility, away from the other rooms, the lab, the Animus chamber, and mess hall was a long hallway with only one set of double doors. Rikkin motioned for a guard to open them, and the fact that this room was operated manually seemed odd to Cal. Out of place.

Inside it seemed like a fish tank, rows of beds, with around two dozen subjects. All roaming, or sitting, or just standing there. Some like status and others moving around thoughtlessly. However, there was one characteristic they all had, their eyes were glossed over with an unnatural shade of grey. Did this make them blind?

"What have you done to them?"

"It's what happens if you don't enter a regression of your own violation. Their minds have been neurologically destroyed, and thanks to the Bleeding Effect they are blinded. Drifting between to realities, but never settling between one or the other." Alan explained before reaching into his back pocket. Removing the concealed weapon he held it in his hands before releasing the jagged blade.

"Do you recognize this? It's an Assassin's blade. This is the actual one that your father used to take your mother's life. The exact same blade he made for her to wield, ironic isn't it?" Alan ran his fingers along the cold metal, barely skimming his finger tips along the sharp edges. The blade was still sharp after all of these long years and Callum recognized it. Only this time it wasn't peaking from his fathers sleeve.

"He's here, you know." Callum looked out back towards the room, searching for an old face that may remember him, before he turned back towards Alan. "A mother's death, Cal...not something a boy should ever be made to see." 

Offering the hidden blade to him, Alan waited for him to reach out, before placing it upon the table. Callum stared down at it. This was what he had always dreamed about. Always wanted to do, to avenge his mothers death, and here it was. The very blade itself offered to him on a silver platter. Picking it up from the table, it scrapped against it, the sharp sound reminding him of how he had taken that pimps life.

The room cleared out. Parting like the red sea as the care takers moved patients out. Leaving all but one standing towards the back of the room 

* * *

"This is wrong."

"You left me no choice. He has to go in of his own free will, you said that. I had to negotiate "

"You mean manipulate."

"Oh, and you haven't been doing that? I assured the Elders we woild have the Apple for London."

"That's in two days."

"He doesn't want to know his past or his father. He wants to destroy them both."

"We're not in the business of creating monsters."

"We've neither created them nir destroyed them. We've merely abandoned them to their own inexorable fate."

* * *

Stepping towards him Cal remembered as he had turned around all of those years ago. Eyes gazing upon his own son as a predator does their prey. "You're your mother's son." Joseph Lynch said, his voice all the same as it had been all of those years ago. But Callum could only hear what the man had said to him all those years ago. "What does that mean." Cal stated, voice rough as he fought back the tears that had begun to form in his eyes. 

"The blood that flows through you is not your own. It belongs to the Creed. It belongs to the Order.Your mother knew that. She died so the Creed may live." 

Lunging yowards him, Cal pushed the blade against his neck, "Remind me how, exactly." His mother didn't deserve death. To die for all of this. "What you saw...I did." Joseph confessed. "You murdered her." Cal stated back, keeping the blade steady towards his father. "I took her life rather than have it stolen by that machine. A man grows with the greatness of his task. I ought to have killed you." Abstergo would find the Apple now since they had him. That was the one thing that both Joseph and Mary had feared once Callum had been born. They feared it more than anything else. "I couldn't"

"Well, here." Callum said turning the blade around. "Take it. Do what you couldn't do thirty years ago." He wanted this to end, to have resolution, but Joseph simply shook his head. "It's in your hands now, Cal. This is what they want. Spill my blood...but do not go back into the Animus." "Why?" 

"The Apple contains the genetic code for free will. They will use it to destroy us."

"I'm gonna find it...and watch them destroy you...and your Creed."

A tear ran down Callums' cheek.

"You cannot kill the Creed. It's in your blood. The Apple is everything. Your mother died to protect it."

"She had no choice."

Taking out the Templar Cross that had belonged to Victor Lynch from his palm he placed it around his fathers neck.

"I do."

* * *

A guard led him back down the hall, towards one of the pods that would lead into different areas. However, once they stepped in a blade shot out and landed inside the guards neck. Callum dropped into a defensive position, but it was too late as the other test subjects went out to grab him. The other test subjects were trying to kill him.

Callum pushed Lin off of him as she pulled him into the middle of the room. The woman glared at him before sending a hard kick to his face. Causing him to roll over onto his side as a trail of blood left his nose. "Sorry about this Cal, but we cannot allow you to step into that Animus." Jason decided to speak up as Callum attempted to stand. His feet felt wobble against the hard floor, but he soon gained enough balamce to face him. However, before Cal could begin to retort Jason sent a punch into his chest, the amount of power in it sent the air straight out of his lungs, and the feeling of the hard brass didn't help. Lara moved behind him steathily, before round house kicking him back towards Jason. The two of them worked as a team as if they had been doing this together for decades. But before they could attack him again Nathan moved in. Wrapping a cord around his neck tightly in an attempt to choke him. Slamming his head back, Cal heard Nathans cry of pain, before he slipped from his hold. Grabbing the younger man before slamming him into the glass. The sound of guards entering pulled away everyones attention including Cal's. McGowen walked in with men and women flanking behind them in their black uniform and weapons. Two guards grabbed a hold of Nathan before the rest went to block off the others.

Pulling off the cord that Nathan had used to strangle him he looked back up to see McGowen and Valeria watching him. He wasn't sure as to when she had joined them, but judging by the look she was giving him, she would not have stepped in to help. And why would she when all Cal wanted to do was destroy everything that had led to his mothers death.

"Take me to the Animus."


	10. All That Matters Is What We Leave Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Callum follows through with the third regression. Causing a rebellion to occur amongst the other test subjects as they attempt to escape.

The Animus activated at the very moment that he stepped into the room-McGowen and Valeria not far behind-as he made his way into the center of the chamber. "Put me in." Callum ordered, taking off the standard white shirt that Abstergo had given him. "Prepare the Animus. Voluntary regressions. Split the arm and get a second epidural down there." Sophia ordered to the two technicians that were working on setting everything up. This was unexpected, unscheduled, but the Apple was within reach. Everything that Sophia had done was all leading to this moment.

"Do you know how Assassins came to be named? From an Arabic word:  _Hashashin._ They were society's outcast...those who stole...who murdered in cold blood. People ridiculed them. Rebels, fools, drug addicts. But they were wise. They used this reputation to hide a dedication to principles beyond those of even their strongest enemies. And for that...I admire them. Now show me...are you one of those men?" McGowen questioned as he placed the hidden blades of Aguilar and Maria onto Callum and Valeria. And it was in that moment, reeling in what the Head of Security had spoken to him, Cal finally made the connection. He saw it in the mans very expression, in that familiar look within his eyes. McGowen was the descendant of Ojeda. 

Grabbing the epidural from the technician Cal attatched it to himself. The pain that had once been unbearable now went unnoticed. And a sense of resolution had filled him this was it, this would give them everything that they had wanted from him.

"Let's find out."

Getting lifted up, Cal spared a glance at his partner, who already had her hidden blades out. Perhaps she would forgive him for this. Perhaps they all would. 

* * *

"Commencing regression."

"This is my life's work."

"It's my life."

* * *

The sun was setting across Granada was the Templar Army marched through the cities streets. Aiming to take power from the Sultan and to retrieve the Apple from him. Aguilar and Maria looked down upon the army before looking back across Granada. This was what the Brotherhood had died to defend, the Apple, and the city that harbored it. 

 _"For the Creed."_ Maria said to him, her necklace hanging from the tips of her fingers. Aguilar watched as she placed the cool metal down upon his palm. It was a family heirloom that had been passed down through her family since they came to Spain from Masyaf. Maria had planned on giving it to her son before she gave him away, and then again with her daughter, but she knew that Aguilar needed to focus. Focus away from his want of revenge on Ojeda, and to remember the one thing that the both of them still had in this world. The one thing that the loss of the Apple could take from them: her son, Aguilar's son, and their daughter's freedom of will.

  _"Our own lives are nothing. All that matters is what we leave behind."_

* * *

Sultan Muhammad XII of Granada stepped out of his palace's place of worship and into the courtyard. His son was within the grasp of Torquemada and his men. A fear that had clenched him once news had reached of the Assassins death in the village that had hid him. Meeting in the middle before the fountains, the Sultan of Granada looked at Torquemada with a fiery look within his eyes, one of concealed anger for the threat on his sons life.

 _"Sultan...Surrender the Apple. Your Assassin protectors are gone. The Creed is finished."_ Torquemada spoke and Sultan Muhammad wished for nothing more than to draw his sword. To do what the Assassins couldn't. But they had died for his son and the preservation of Islam, Judaism, and all of those in Spain that dared to worship against the way that Castile and Aragon did. Their deaths would not be in vain, but the protection of the Apple fell between little to no options of keeping it from Templar hands or the Catholic Churchs'. Walking back into the palaces place of worship, the Sultan walked towards the moorish wall that held the Apple. Hitting the hidden latch, he pulled a part of the wall out, before removing the box that was inside. 

Keeping his grip tight, he walked back to Torquemada and his knights that looked upon his defeat.  _"My son."_ With a wave of his hand, Ojeda released the boy, who ran to hide behind his father who looked upon the Templars with hate in his eyes as he offered the box. Sitting within the box, nestled in it's straw, was the Apple still encased within the red rock that encrusted it. Torquemada picked it up before casting it within the light.  _"Here lies the seed of man's first disobedience of free will itself. Thanks to the Apple of Eden the known world will be ushered into a new age. One of peace. In which all the warring populations of mankind shall bow in perfect obedience to our Templar rule."_

Dropping down the smoke bombs, Aguilar watched as they exploded, filling the palace with darkness. Leaping down, Aguilar stabbed a knight in the stomach using his hidden blade. Meanwhile, outside, Maria jumped down from the roof top. Blocking the soldiers attacks she twisted her body around to perform a double kill, slicing into the knights with her hidden blades. The other knights immediantly noticed and ran towards her with their swords drawn and shields up. But Maria had planned for that, turning on her heel and running, she shut the palace doors behind her. Locking the knights out and Torquemada, Ojeda, and his men in. Coming up behind a knight, Aguilar placed his hand over his mouth before breaking his neck. Maria followed through doing the same as the two Assassins moved through the smoke. Clearing out the palace of the knights, but before Maria could move to get to Aguilar and Torquemada she felt Ojeda grab her placing his dagger against her neck.

 _"The Apple. Give it to him. Now."_ Ojeda ordered, keeping Maria against him, as Aguilar kept his own blade against Torquemada.  _"For the Creed."_ Maria pleaded as she had times before. It was something that she always told him when he had been her novice, because he always followed his personal will and emotions. But she knew what she would have to do. The Apple meant everything. Their childrens lives meant everything. Swallowing back the lump that had formed in her throat, Maria tried to smile at him as her eyes burned with tears.  _Please, Aguilar,_ she thought but the snick of a blade confirmed her fear. Moving her arm, she felt Ojeda become defensive as she moved, but it didn't last for long.

Taking Ojeda's hand, Maria plunged the blade into her throat. A burning, searing pain filled her as blood began to fill her mouth and run down her throat. 

Through blurry, tear-filled eyes, Maria watched as Aguilar reacted _._ His face contorting into one of shock and sadness and anger as her body hit the ground. Stabbing Torquemada in his side, Aguilar dodged the blade that was thrown at him by Ojeda who moved swiftly to fight Aguilar. Punching Aguilar hard against his face, Ojeda moved again, swinging his sword out towards the Assassins head. The two of them ending in a game of cat and mouse as Ojeda swung his sword towards Aguilar who barely missed it each time. Flicking his wrist back Aguilar swipped it at Ojeda as he tried to block off punches. 

Grabbing a metal pole that once held a candle, Aguilar blocked Ojeda's sword before using it as he did a spear, aiming it to hit the man's head. But Ojeda dodged that attack and moved back towards the Assassin. The two threw punch after punch towards the other. Years of built up hate rising between them as the chance of finally ending it rose to the both of him. However, Ojeda had gained the upper hand, slamming his fist into Aguilar's chest sending the Assassin onto the ground in the process. Aguilar tried getting back up, tried releasing his hidden blade again, but Ojeda sent a hard kick against his jaw which sent Aguilar back down.

Exhailing deeply, Aguilar turned to look at Maria who he had landed beside. Her blue eyes were still open, still looking upon him, as a pool of crimson spread out around her. He attempted to get closer to her. To touch her one last time.  _I'm sorry my beloved. I'm sorry Maria._ Aguilar thought, and as Ojeda stood above him all Aguilar wanted was to lay there. To die beside her, his mentor, his beloved, his Maria.

 _"Go."_ She spoke and Aguilar felt something turn from within him. Taking Maria's hand in his, he pressed down to catch that was on the hidden blade, sending a long, thick, needle like dart into Ojeda.

If Maria was to die, if he was to die, then they would both take Ojeda with them.

Standing back up, Aguilar sent a quick strike into his chest, before going back to the techniques that Maria had taught him. Slicing into the mans thighs, his stomach, and then his arms. Until Ojeda fell to his knees infront of him. Aguilar looked down at him, for his parents that he had watched burn, for the wife that he had lost, for his son that he had abaddoned, and for Maria whose life had been stolen from him. Aguilar moved his arms back before stabbing Ojeda in his neck with every ounce of anger and hate that had built up within him. Watching as the man collapsed, his body landing near Maria. 

 _"Forgive me."_ The Sultan said, arms wrapped around his son, but as Aguilar turned to look upon Maria again he noticed her lack of movement. There was no chance in saving her as she laid dead, even more blood than before surrounding her.

 _"Make sure that we get a proper burial."_ Aguilar spoke back before looking up towards the doors to the palace. Torquemada came out from where he had been hidding, one hand on his wound, the other placed against the metal bars that cealed the door shut. Running towards the man, Aguilar jumped down into the tunnels below the palace. He had to get the Apple somewhere safe. To anyone who would take it far from Spain.

Running out of the palace, Aguilar cut the rope that held back the drawel bridge. Landing with a roll of his body, Aguilar looked up at the crossbows pointed down upon him. The knights that would attack him if possible. 

_"It's over."_

Torquemada spoke and Aguilar leaped.  _No. It was not._

_"Assassino!"_

* * *

The Animus Arm snapped, locking up as it was pulled down far beyond its capability, powering down and unhooking itself from the two test subjects. 

"Leap of Faith." Sophia said, never before had a full one been preformed before whilst inside the Animus. Callum stood up as Aguilar's memories played out showing a dock as the memory shifted. "Where are we?" Sophia asked as she kept her eyes on the memory. Large ships appeared as an eagle soared above the sky. "It looks like a military port. Cadiz, Palos de la Frontera." A technician spoke as an eagle began to screech. 

* * *

 Aguilar sat down below the deck of the Santa Maria, one of King Ferdinand's ships, but it would go far from here. Captain Martin Alonzo Pinzon opened the door, before motioning for Colombus to follow. _"I discovered him when I went down here to get the map. I do not know who he is, or what he is, but I think he may be dead."_ Pinzon spoke as he motioned to the hooded man sitting at the end of the table whose eyes were looking out towards the sky. Christopher Colombus and Martin Pinzon stepped hesitantly towards the man who appeared to not be moving. At least that was how it seemed before he turned his head to look at them. 

With a shaking hand Aguilar reached into the pouch and handed it towards the Captain. _"Assassins have died to protect it. Take it to your grave, and whatever you do, do not use it. Ever."_ Aguilar said in a hushed tone as the pain that had once dulled seemed to slowly spread throughout his body. Blood seeping through his clothing from his wounds and onto the floor below.  Colombus took it from the mans hand, before looking between Captain Pinzon and the strange object hidden beneath the worn brown leather. He had heard of Assassins fighting back against Castile and Aragon. Personally, such matters didn't concern him, but people have died for whatever this thing was.

_"I promise. Following the light of the sun I shall leave this old world behind. And when I lay within my grave I will take this with me."_

Aguilar leaned back into the chair as black spots began to cloud his vision.

 _"_ _La shaaya waqin moutlaq bale kouloun moumkin."_

* * *

"What is it? Translation?"

"Following the light of the sun, I shall leave this old world behind."

"It's Christopher Colombus. Where is he buried?"

"His remains were returned to Spain. His tomb is in Seville Cathedral."

"We found it."

* * *

A sound began to fill the Animus Chamber, people chanting, all speaking in Arabic. Callum watched as Aguilar appeared, stepping towards him as he had always done. 

* * *

"Hey, All Stars. Come here." Moussa called out. Dropping the black basket ball that he had been holding from the game him and Lin had played. "Pick one." Moussa told them as he handed out his fist. Both of the guards looked at each other skeptically. "Any one." Moussa said again before taking the smoke bombs out of his fist and dropping them. The guards grunted and cried out as they were attacked. Moussa, Lin, Emir, Jason, and Lara, along with the rest of the subjects in the common room all began to attack. Throwing punches and kicks towards the guards before taking their weapons from them. 

* * *

They surrounded him.

Coming out of the shadows as Aguilar had. "Is it a memory?" Sophia asked looking around at the figures who had appeared. "No." A technician answered as he checked Callums' neurological scans. "Then what is it?" Sophia demanded, but the only reply that came was from another technician studying his DNA sequence.

"We don't know."

Callum watched as they all appeared before him: Aguilar, a spaniard who appeared to be from the Carribbeans, a woman dressed in tan assemble that looked Turkish, a French revolutionist, an assassin who looked to be from the American West. They all surrounded him, but he wasn't alone in that reguard. Standing around Valeria was an assassin in white robes who-oddly enough-was missing an arm, Maria following beside him, then there were three Templars dressed as French revolutionist, and finally there were two more assassins dressed in black leather with canes. What is happening here? Cal thought before he looked away from Valeria's circle and back to his own. Back to Aguilar.

* * *

"Come on!" Emir yelled as he entered the control room. The three guards that were in there attacked him, but he easily subdued them. Turning on the intercomm, Emir called out into the commons area for all of the subjects to head towards the Animus room. They had to stop the Rikkins from getting the Apple.

* * *

"Transport?"

"Standing by." McGowen replied as the three of them watched on. "Protect the Animus. Purge the facility. I wanted Subject 19, 20, and 22 alive." Alan Rikkin ordered out, but McGowen responded immediantly. "I need to get you out of here first."

Alan looked towards Sophia. Everything was accomplished. It was over. Walking away he ignored her shout of protest, "No!" Her research was her, history itself was her, and there were patients who she needed to watch over. She couldn't leave, but any protest had died upon her tongue as her father walked away. "We have to leave, Sophia."

* * *

Lin kicked the guard as hard as she could in the face. Using what she had learned from her time as Shao Jun to incompacitate the guards who ran to attack her. Jason had picked up a guards blade using it to stab his way through the guards. His partner in crime not far behind, accept she was being alot more coordinated about everything. Then again, Evie always did have a plan.

The sound of guards banging against the metal barriers echooed throughout the mess hall. If it wasn't for Emir being in the control room the guards would have no doubtingly would have ran in. However, the guards that were still in the room were putting up a fight. On the bad side, for them at least, the descendants were all killing them rather efficiently.

Leaving the common room, by using the second entrance, Moussa, Lin, Jason, and Lara left whilst holding a guard hostage. They did have to kill the man afterwards as an oncoming wave of guards began to run down the halls. "Ya'know, this would be a great time to see which one of us could out run the other, but Mulan is the obvious winner." Jason said as the four of them ran down the hallway. Lin shooting him a death glare before taking out a woman pointing a crossbow towards them. As they waited at the Animus door, Lara threw the blade that she had taken from a guard straight down the hall and into a poor guards face before taking Jason's from him and doing the same.

"Wake and bake, my protector." Moussa said to Emir over the comms before Jason turned towards them with a look of mock-worry on his face. "Guys, we forgot to save Walpole." He said as the Animus A doors opened. But not far behind, Nathan leaped from the railing, barely making it into the room. 

"I heard that, Frye, you fucking asshole."

* * *

 Callum continued to look at Aguilar, as the sounds of Sophia being dragged out of the chamber hit him. But his attention was soon focused upon by another figure joining the circle. His mother. Dressed in similar robes to the ones around him.

"You're not alone, Cal. You never were."

* * *

"Where other men blindly follow the truth...remember..."

"Nothing is True."

"Where other men are limited by their morality or law...remember..."

"Everything is permitted."

"We work in the darkness to serve the light."

"We are Assassins."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \--Ok, guys, I had to change that Christopher Colombus scene. I mean I don't know much about what the man was like before ge sailed in 1492, but afterwards? Yeah let's not associate both, the Assassins Brotherhood and the Templar Order, with that man. 
> 
> -I really hope you all enjoyed the cameo from Malik Al-Sayf, Francois de la Serre, Julie de la Serre, Elise de la Serre, Jacob Frye, and Evie Frye. Even though it was short as hell. I also hope you like the idea of that bloodline, so please tell me your feedback about that^^^
> 
> -Am I going to change the ending? We'll see. I didn't really understand why they killed Alan Rikkin instead of Sophia Rikkin. I'll think it through, but for now both of their fates remain unknown story wise since I do plan on expanding this fic even after the movie portion ends. Tell me your thoughts on that as well. 
> 
> And I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)


	11. Now I Am Become Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Resolution finally comes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, all aboard the 'EMIR AND NATHAN DESERVED BETTER' train! Our next stop will be: 'UBISOFT, HOW DARE YOU FOR DOING THAT TO YUSUF AND WALPOLES DESCENDANTS'.

They had faded away into the dying lights of the Animus.

It had left this odd feeling within him. It was as if he could _feel_  something settling within his mind. His mother, his father,  _Aguilar._ All of those people, those apperations, seemed to settle away. Blinking his eyes a few times he finally focused his vision upon the others. Valeria had removed her epidural, Jason and Lara not far from her. Moussa looked at him _-waiting_ -to see where he stood with them. However, Lin and Nathan smiled, an action he had never seen them do before, as if they had known all along how this was going to end. "What now, pioneer?" Moussa asked, and as Callum turned to look at Valeria, at  _Maria,_ something within him had already decided for him. 

 _We fight._ Aguilar told him.

"We fight."

Breaking the glass cases each descendant began to take their ancestors weapons. Not every weapon could be taken considering that a majority of them were in Rikkins office. Which was complained about by Jason who wanted to use Jacob's cane sword. However, one by one they each picked up their ancestors weapons. Callum had taken Aguilar's bow and arrows from the glass case. Moussa had taken just about every weapon Baptiste had once had including his clawed blade. Nathan snatched Duncan Walpole's sword, whilst trying to ignore that fact that Sophia Rikkin had it placed beside  _the sword of the bloody pirate that had killed him._ Valeria grabbed Maria's sword and ivory dagger that had been placed among the others of the Spain Brotherhood before snatching as many throwing knives as she could. Lin, however, was sitting on the floor as she traded out her shoes with the bladed boots that Shao Jun had once wore, her sword and rope dart beside her. Whilst Jason and Lara debated over which Frye weapon belonged to who, which ended with throwing knives, pistols, and kukri's scattered around them.

As the banging among the double doors of the Animus chamber sounded, everyone got ready, positioning themselves strategically around the center of the chamber. "If we die, I just want you all to know that I love all of you. Even you Nathan, who has a face that only Emir can love." Jason spoke before Lara smacked him. "Oh, I'm sorry that I love more people than just you, Evie." He smarted off before Lin hissed at them.

 _These people are crazy_ , Cal thought as he pulled the string back. However, before anything else could be said the guards had busted into the room. All of them yelling as they ran towards them. Callum shot one of them down before having to hit another with the bow himself. However, before a third guard could attack, a knife sunk itself into his flesh. Valeria moved to stand beside him to remove some of the guards running in with her throwing knives. Which didn't last for long as the amount of guards soon out weighed the amount of blades.

Lin lashed out towards the guards, moving her sword to cut open anyones stomach who ran at her. Turning around, she round house kicked a female guard into the wall before throwing the rope dart at her. Slicing open the womans face, who let out a pained cry, as blood splattered everywhere.

Moussa kicked a guard in his face, feeling the bone crunch beneath the impact of the hit. Before swinging the staff out, slicing into a guard that had attempted to attck him from behind. Dodging a near blow to his head, the older man slammed the staff into the next guards head. Sending the man down onto the ground amongst his partners. 

Headbutting a guard, Nathan pushed him back before turning around to stab another guards stomach. Beside him Jason was lashing out attacks brutally with the kukri as Lara shot another guard directly in the face at point blank range. If Nathan was a person of compassion with a love for humanity he might have felt bad for the guards. But then he could hear Duncan scoff with a  _'Yeah right'_ and he remembered that stabbing them repeatedly was alot more fun.

The eight test subjects continued to fight back against the guards as hard as they could before other test subjects began to join them. Some wielding hidden blades and other assassin weapons while others were carrying Templar swords and daggers. Callum drew his attention away from the reinforcements, however, as a guard kicked his bow away. Valeria grabbed the guard that had done it and pulled him away with her hidden blade cutting into his flesh.

Nathan grabbed a guard and pulled him around to use as a shield. However, the sound of a blade unsheathing from behind him drew his attention. Turning he saw the guard starring at him with wide eyes before he dropped to the ground dead. Emir waved his hand sarcasticly, a hooked blade following his movements, as it dripped with blood. "Did you really think that I would let you hurt yourself?" He tsked before turning his back to the Brit in order to kill another guard.

"Above us!" Valeria called out as she took out another guard with her hidden blade. Callum paused, looking up towards the glassed dome, before hearing it.  _A helicopter._ The Rikkins were attempting to leave. Dropping everything he ran towards the broken arm of the Animus before climbing it. He had to stop them from getting the Apple. Breaking the glass at the center of the dome, Callum climbed out, just in time to see the helicopter taking off. 

They were headed to Seville.

* * *

"Did you know this whole time? That I shared his bloodline?"

"I couldn't have you placing yourself in the Animus. Ending up like your brother."

* * *

The Cathedral was silent, beautiful in in design, and unfortunately a certain dread. Sophia followed her father as they began walking deeper into the building towards Columbus's tomb. It was a shame, really, that the Brotherhood ended up placing the Apple within the hands of him. One of the most brutal slavers in all of history.

The priest who resided within these walls knew of their arrival and came with the metal chest that had been within the grave. Upon opening it, Alan Rikkin removed the brown cloth to discover the Apple. The red rock that had been encrusting it was broken away at the top. Revealing the white and orange crystals that encircled the Apple itself. They would have to remove all of the rock in order to get to the Apple, but it seems as if Columbus had already did half of the work.

"Your excellency."

"The glory will go to your father. But we both know who found it. Your time will come, my child." Ellen Kaye told her, giving her a promise, one that could not have been given to her father or even her brother. Sophia watched as the Elder walked away, towards her father and the Apple. But something had begun to consume the scientist. All of the test subjects were still in the Abstergo Foundation, yet with that came the reminder that they would not be getting the second chance that she had once offered. They were dead and would die and the employees who had been within the facility were with no doubt in her mind dead.

Dead...all because of her...

* * *

"Our first move needs to be London. They have the Apple by now, so our next logical step is London."

Jason explained as they roamed through the relatively empty halls. They needed to get to Rikkins office to get the rest of their weapons, which in turn would lead to the labs. There had been no debate over what was to happen with all of the information and artifacts of their ancestors. They couldn't leave it, not for Abstergo to simply collect. "How are we going to do this? It is not as if we have the proper...clothing to use?" Callum asked, trying to find the right words. They couldn't move within the shadows with what Abstergo made them wear. Then again it wasn't as if there were modern Assassins to take tips from. Valeria and Lin looked at one another before Lin spoke up. "Not exactly. You see, Sophia had this plan, for us to be soldiers against those who would go against her cure for violence. She made us all uniforms, Assassin uniforms, although the Templar aspect is still there. I suppose she didn't want the descendants of Templars to feel as if they were dressing up as an Assassin." 

"You're saying she made us all uniforms?"

"The woman had her issues if it wasn't obvious to you." Emir said before the eight of them reached the office. The room was surprisingly not in complete shambles. A few weapons were missing, and a lamp had at some point been thrown at the window.

"So we get dressed up with our weapons. Establish a communications system with the other subjects here. Before we split off to find the Apple?"

"Pretty much. Then I suggest we head to the Carribbean or we could go backpacking through China because... let's face it we need a holiday."

* * *

The Grand Templar Hall.

Established in 1717 to 1867.

It was said to have been in rememberence of the Knights Templars who were disbanded by the Church after the Crusades. Of course, no one would have though that Templars would have used it. Indistinct chatter filled the room as people moved through the metal detectors. 

"They'll give you a Nobel Peace Prize for this. Better start writing your speech." Alan Rikkin teased as he fixed his collar. He knew of his daughters displeasure ever since they left Spain with the Apple. No blame could fall upon her. It was not her fault that he hid away her bloodline. Or left her lab rats to die, of course, his son and the other two of his bloodline was truly a loss.

"I've read yours..."

"And?"

 _"If we eradicate fee will, we eradicate the Assassins...the cancer that has menaced society for centuries."_ Sophia read from the folded paper before looking back up towards her father. Alan turned to her, snatching the paper from her hands. "It is not my best work, but it gets the point across. Assassins make a great symbol of violence. We've been looking for solutions. You've eliminated the problem."

* * *

Meeting each other through the halls they passed along the pieces of the hidden blade.

* * *

"So my program..."

"Has brought order for society for the first time."

"I'm accountable for this-"

"You've already been accounted for. Our work belongs to the Elders. This is their finest hour."

"You lied to me."

"And you lied to every person you've abducted. Every single person that has died while inside the Animus. Every single person driven mad by the Bleeding Effect...mankind cannot be redeemed...your work showed us that."

"So you've thought of everything?"

"Not quite. My speech could do with one of your elegant openings."

* * *

"Now I am become Death. The Destroyer of Worlds."

* * *

Applause and cheering could be heard from outside the door. Hitting her ears as the bright stage lights shinned on her father. Sophia walked away feeling almost disturbed with the proceedings, but how could she feel negative towards what was to come? It was all her fault, two lies did not make a right, and blood was on her hands. Staining her skin, yet it could not be seen by anyone elses eyes. Yet, when she looked up she was not death itself, for she was looking upon a necromancer. The subjects must have discovered the identical Assassin robes she had made. It was nothing out of time: a black hooded trench coat designed to mimic the ancient Assassin robes, black pants and black knee-lengthed leathered running boots, with a red sash wrapped around the waist with the belts and trinkets their ancestors wore upon theirs. The symbol of the Assassins shone against the light, silver flickering, yet placed within the center of the Assassins' symbol was a crimson Templar cross. That matched the black bandana that bared that very same cross, hanging around his neck. She remembered when she had designed it with the idea of unity between descendants of Assassins and Templars, yet there was no need. For they already had united against Abstergo. 

The shadows melted away to show Callum Lynch's face, yet two more figures followed behind him. Valeria and Jason. Wielding the remodeled parry shield and cane sword that had once sat within her fathers office. "All I have to do is shout." And maybe it will be for the better. They would kill her, not risking leaving without getting rid of a key figure.

"I'm here to help you. And you're here to help me." Callum repeated to her, those same words that she had once spoken to him. Sophia looked upon them as tears formed in her eyes. She felt overwhelmed. This was hapoening because of her. "I can't help you anymore. Any of you."

"What about all of those great plans? Curing violence? Creating peace?" Valeria questioned from the side. Digging the knife deeper.

"That's not going to happen."

"You started this, Sophie. You don't get to walk away clean. We both know what happens next."

"Not everything deserve to live."

* * *

"I can't do this." Sophia said back in a scartchy tone, her voice cracking. Callum walked away from her without even giving her a second glance. Valeria following close behind. Neither saying anything else. Leaving Sophia alone with Jason. 

"I wish I could say that I'm sorry..." Jason looked down at the marble floor, his hand gripping the metal of Jacob Frye's cane sword. "...but I can't." He told her, his blue eyes looking back up towards her before he pulled his arm back. Swinging the cane sword as hard as he could towards her head.

* * *

"But it is not to ourselves, but to the future...that we must give glory." Alan Rikkin stated firmly. Repeating the same words that Alonso de Ojeda had told the Mentor five hundred years ago. "A future purged of the Assassin's Creed."

Applause and cheers arose from the crowd as the agreed to his words. Even if most of them didn't even know a thing about the Assassin Brotherhood. McGowen watched from the sides, remembering those words, before something else drew his attention away. A sharp pull, drawing his attention to the back of the building. A resonating voice said it as if he was breathing in a breath of fresh air. A voice that the head of security had not heard for quit some time:  _"Aguilar and Maria."_

 _No. It's Callum and Valeria._ McGowen mentally thought back before something stirred from within him. They were here to assassinate Alan Rikkin.

"Ladies and Gentlemen...the Apple of Eden!" Alan Rikkin announaced. Lifting the metal object above him. His finger tips pressed down into it, causing the metal to shift, before moving. Emitting a bright green light from inside. Callum moved forward, flicking his wrist, before slicing Alan Rikkins throat open. Blood hit the carpet below, and Callum hurried to grab the Apple in order to replace it. 

* * *

Sophia awoke to screams.

Horrible. Horrible screams.

Getting up from the floor she reached up to touch her face. It stung beneath her touch, yet that did not matter. Rows upon rows of people were running out and there was no sign of Callum, or Valeria, or Jason. Racing back into the auditorium, she paused, for amongst the darkness of the room was her father. Dead.

Crouching down to him she plucked the tiny piece of fruit from her hands. This was her fault. He was dead because of her.

"I did this."

"I will retrieve the Artifact for the Elders. Lynch, I want for me." Sophia spoke to him, promising him. The Elders would get the Apple and she would make Lynch regret killing her father. "I'm going to fix this."

Turning towards the Elders, she met Ellen Kaye's eyes.

"It is not to ourselves, but to the future, that we must give glory."

* * *

Sophia walked out into the streets as McGowen followed behind her. Looking above towards the roof tops she knew that was were the Assassins had gone.

"I want you to hunt them down like you did five hundred years ago. I want you to hunt them down the same way that you hunted down the Colonial Brotherhood."

Sophia ordered before turning towards the bigger man, "Prove to me that you are the descendant of Ojeda and the Cormac's...hunt these Assassins down...kill them all...and bring Lynch to me."

* * *

Overlooking the Thames, the eight descendants looked out over London. The Apple was with their hands for now, but Abstergo was going to start hunting them. "Welcome back to London, Evie." Jason said down towards Lara. "Welcome back, Jacob."

An eagle flew above them, screeching down towards them, before flying away with what appeared to Callum to be...a Rook. Valeria stepped down towards him, reminding him of Maria, as she took the Apple from his hands. Placing it inside a leather pouch, " _For our fallen Brothers."_ She spoke, her Spanish causing her to sound like her ancestor, far too much.  _"For the Creed."_ Callum replied back, accepting the Apple back from her. He wasn't sure if he should be surprised about how much he sounded to be just like Aguilar. He was what the Spaniard left behind, after all. 

* * *

Looking away, he pulled his arms back, performing a Leap of Faith.

The others were not far behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I hope you all enjoyed the final part of the movie!
> 
> -I did change the Assassin clothing that they wore at the end...well...I added to it. Which I hope I did well, when it comes to clothing my descriptions are terrible. I loved the way that the movie did the modern Assassin look, however I would like to think that they would have taken the belts and trinkets that their ancestors had on theirs and would have added it too that.
> 
> -I made Shay Cormac the descendant of Ojeda. I hope none of you Shay Cormac fans dislike that move. Then again I made the de la Serres and the Fryes descendants of Maria, so it is not the biggest add on.
> 
> -I will be continuing this! I'll be diving into character backstories alot more since the film didn't do to well on it. Oddly enough, their(Moussa, Nathan, etc) wiki pages offer more of a backstory than the movie.
> 
> -There will be more things to occur involving the Animus 4.5's Bleeding Effect. I think we all noticed that when it came towards the films new Animus. Aguilar, or at least 'the one they once were' seems to always be a constant presence. But the other ancestors are there too, so I will go more into that.
> 
> -Not to mention, the soon-to-be appearance of Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane :) There is a theory going around that in the deleted cafe scene you can see Shaun Hastings sitting behind Callum and Lara. In my opinion, he looked like a Shaun that had lost everything and had nothing to lose. So prepare for the angst guys!
> 
> So in conclusion, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Tell me what you think, or just leave a kudos, or just enjoy life in general. Until next time!


	12. A New Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Callum and the others learn of how they all ended up in Abstergo.

They had been living on top of the roofs of London for days now- _three_ \- to be exact. It wasn't necessarily the worst place that he had slept in, but it wasn't how he originally saw their first few days of freedom. That seemed to be all they were doing nowadays. Roaming around London, picking pockets from everyone that crossed their paths in order to get money, whilst fighting in underground fighting rings at night. Callum had to admit that the latter got them more money. Which they needed, since a dead person on the run couldn't exactly settle down to get a job. As the sunlight began to fall across the city, the eight assassins began to move once more. It had been suggested that perhaps they should leave London for awhile. Head to Crawley in order to settle down for a until they could come up with a plan. Yet, none of them wanted to leave the city, the bustling of people,  _of life,_ that they had not interacted with in years.

"What had you done before?" He finds himself asking to anyone who was listening. Surely some of them had families to return to. But if they did then why were they still here, huddled together in a damp alleyway? Moussa looked down at the dirty pavement below before looking back up to meet Cal's gaze. "My wife was a cop." Moussa said, causing everyone to look towards him. Listening intently to the man that they had all grown to know during their years of imprisonment.  "I had gone through a rough patch in my life. I was fighting in bars, pickpocketing strangers, and robbing people that I believed were worse than me. Then I was arrested, and my police officer just so happened to be the woman that I would end up loving...then Abstergo came. They killed her Grandmother who had answered the door, and when my wife fought back..."

Everything fell silent as everyone took in his own experience. Judging from their reactions, Cal was a bit surprised that none of them seemed to have known. Perhaps they didn't speak of such things whilst in Abstergo. Lin grabbed Moussa's hand, giving him a firm squeeze, and a reassuring smile.

The next to speak up was Lin, who breathed deeply before facing everyone. "I worked for The Ministry of State Security which is the intelligence agency and security agency of the People's Republic of China, responsible for counter-intelligence, foreign intelligence and political security. That day, I had just returned from my maternity leave...I had gone through the day perfectly as if I had never left. I even attended a meeting at the end of the day, and when I left I decided to walk to the nearest terminal station to get home instead of taking a cab. That was when Abstergo took me. The twins were staying with my ex-husband, their father, at the time, so Abstergo never discovered them...I can't be their mom now, they wouldn't remember me, and I don't wish to drag them into...this." Lin clenched her jaw, shaking her head against the thought. They would be seven, maybe eight now, with lives and probably a new mother. They didn't deserve to be dragged into this. To fall into the threat of being placed inside an Animus. 

Valeria looked around towards the others before speaking up. The french woman played with the fabric hanging from her waist so that she could have something to do with her hands. Her nerves were eating away at her from deep inside. She had never spoken of what she had done before. Mainly because of what Sophia would always say, how she would mock her by saying  _'your excellency'_ every time that she would bluntly refuse to do the womans bidding.                                    

"After college, I worked for The Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6 (Military Intelligence, Section 6), which is the foreign intelligence agency of the British government. However, before Abstergo took me I worked in the Parlement français. I was the Premier ministre français in the Fifth Republic, making me the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. I was also Président du Sénat, in addition to my duties as presiding officer of the Upper House of parliament, I was the first in line of succession in case of death or resignation of the president, thus becoming Acting President of the Republic until a new election could have be held.

It was a very good job, one that I was very proud to have as a citizen of France. However, in 2008, Abstergo abducted me and my daughter. Placing us both into Sophia Rikkin's new Animus program. I am dead now, or at least my government believes me to be dead. I have nothing to return to personally."

Valeria explained before Jason held up his hand in question. "You were a member of France's government and before that you worked for Britians intelligence agency? The Prime Minister and President of the Senate...yet Abstergo still took you knowing of the governmental shift that would end up occuring? Not to mention that that incident would surely catch some attention from your former imployer?" Jason questioned before sighing in defeat. "The same thing goes to Lin. You played a large role involving China's foreign intelligence. Sophia really doesn't think things through does she?"

"Well how did you get here? Your a Rikkin afterall." Nathan questioned back, crossing his arms over his chest. Jason frowned before finally speaking up about his own experience.

"I was ten when my blood was first drawn. Sophia was relatively new in the field of science, but she discovered that my DNA matched closely with Lydia Frye's and Francois de la Serre. She convinced our father, and had me placed inside her program. It wasn't really a shocker considering her distaste for myself and my mother." Jason explained to them. Sending Nathan a glare before he added his own dare, "What did you do Nathan?"

"I got involved with gangs when my parents began to move across England. Eventually they just kicked me out...and I can't blame them for doing it. So I lived on the streets and moved through the different gangs that would accept me. Abstergo ended up kidnapping me....I know it's not alot, but my life wasn't anything spectacular to begin with." Nathan told them before Emir let out a heavy sigh. "I was born in Poland, but I ended up moving to Swedan after high school. I was doing odd jobs here and there, whilst taking night courses at a local college. I ended up getting a degree in biology and was on my way to becoming a teacher. But then Abstergo took me...and now I am here."

Their stories seemed to settle amongst each other before their eyes turned to him. "I killed a man...and now I'm dead." Callum told them. They deserved to know more, he knew that, but he didn't want to express his life. The foster homes and the gangs, his mothers murder, it all seemed to dull in his mind. His memories now had memories that were not his own mixing in amongst his. Memories of Maria, of Spain, and of the Inquisition were now there settled amongst the memories that made up his past. 

"We need to find an apartment building that'll house us without suspicion. Settle there for a while. Perhaps we can start to prepare for the war that's about to hit us."

Moussa broke the silence that had settled over them. Taking everyones gazes off of Callum and towards the old backpack that they had been stuffing cash in. There were still a few subjects roaming in Spain. They would have to ask them to ship the arifacts and belongings of their ancestors to them. They would also have to get clothing besides the Assassin attire that they were now wearing. Not to mention food...and a bed. Those things sounded like heaven to his ears.

"Let's do it then."

* * *

The apartment building was away from the city, or at least the heart of London. It had been made from an old mill factory that had been converted into different apartment buildings. Lucky enough for them the owner wasn't picky about who he housed. Even more so when they'll need to take an entire floor to live on, and come with a promise of paying the rent before it is due. 

They have to take a caged elevator ride that leaves him almost pittying the workers that had once worked here. However the space that they are getting is worth it. A large portion of the open space seems to be a living room, a kitchen is off towards the back, and then there are five doors off towards the far end. Four bedrooms and one bath. With all things considered, this is a gold mine, one that hopefully they won't have to abanddon anytime soon.

Walking across the wooden flooring, Callum goes to look out of one of the large windows. Maybe, if they were lucky, they could turn this into a headcourters of a sort. Surely the other test subjects that were now roaming the world would like a place to go to. 

"This almost seems to good to be true." A voice said from beside him, and looking through the corner of his eye he noticed that it was Valeria. She smiled at him, that same smile that he remembered from Aguilar's memories, before poking at his side wuth her finger. "You can say that again, but perhaps we can build something here." It was their only hope after all, but before he could ask her about recruiting she had taken his hand.

"I have something to show you."

"Is it Emir naked? Because I already fell for that with Jason and Moussa wouldn't stop laughing." 

Valeria froze, brows drawing together, "Was that when we went to that bathroom, at the subway? Well,  _sorry to disappoint_ , but no it is not." She teased back before opening one of the bedroom doors. "If we can build something here...I would like to make the Hidden Blades. I know that we have not discussed these things but...I took Maria and Aguilar's Codex. The Codex of the Spain Brotherhood. There are instructions on how to make different hidden blades and other weapons." Valeria said to him as she placed a large leather-bound book and laid it down upon the mattress. Callum sat down upon it and flipped through the old pages. "You stole this?" He questioned, but as soon as he looked up that familiar smile had returned. 

"You cannot steal something that belongs to you."

Callum couldn't help the smirk that had formed before he looked back down. The pages were yellowed from time, but the writings could still be seen. There were different instructions on how to make hidden blades and other pages seemed to house information. Logs of members of the Brotherhood and when they had died. Information about the Black Knights of the Templar Order. Lost history that he doubted anyone had looked upon since the 1400's. Turning to the last page he saw the names that had been written down: 

_Bennedicto: 1441-1492, Mentor_

_Gabriel: 1450-1492_

_Alejandro: 1459-1492_

_Rafiiki: 1459-1492_

_Odar: 1446-1492_

_Maria: 1455-1492_

_Aguilar: 1455-1492_

"This is a log on deaths isn't it?" Callum asked as he traced his finger along the indentions. "Yes. The Spain Brotherhood was wipped out in 1492. There were unactive members still alive, but their jobs were to find the bodies. To bury them within the tombs with their belongings." Valeria explained before taking the Codex from his hands. Shutting it gently she crossed the room to place it down upon an old desk. "Sophia mentioned that Aguilar and Maria had been buried with the Templars...do you know why?" He asked, but the french woman simply tensed at his words. "I cannot tell you the exact reason, but they were buried with Ojeda. In the burial chambers that were used for the Black Knights. It was the one mystery that Sophia could never solve." Turning on her heel she went back towards the bed and sat next to him. 

* * *

"I hope you enjoy being my room mate, because Jason and Lara have already stole a room together. Moussa is sharing with Lin and I highly doubt that you would like to join Emir and Nathan."

* * *

"I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I've been told that I hog the covers and fight in my sleep."

"...we can work on it."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I did my research on the French Parliment, M16, and China's Ministry of State Security before I wrote this. Honestly, it was pretty interesting to learn about, since I am not from Western European or Asia.
> 
> -I own none of Nathan's backstory, and I only own Moussa's wife. The rest all came from his wiki. 
> 
> -I honestly hope you liked their backstories. I wanted to show that Abstergo didn't care about who they took. Whether it be an active member of parliment, a M16/MSS, a kid living on the streets, or a biology teacher. 
> 
> -I hope that this Chapter is good, and that you all enjoyed it!


	13. Shift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Callum deals with the Bleeding Effect and a snarky Aguilar.
> 
> -Sophia deals with business matter, whilst McGowen hunts down the descendants. However his own ancestor is causing problems.

When Callum had awoken in the morning something felt wrong. It wasn't the comfortable mattress beneath him, or the feeling of relief that had settled over him from a night of good sleep. It just felt as if he was back in Abstergo-back in his cell-when  _Aguilar_ would appear. Turning around he almost fell out of the bed. 

Aguilar was sitting on the bed, looking down on Valeria, as he ran his four fingered hand through the french woman's dark curls. The thing that scared him most, however, was how  _solid,_ how  _real_ , Aguilar seemed to be. There was an indention on the bed from his weight and Cal could see Valeria's hair move from the spaniard's fingers.

As if Aguilar could hear his thoughts, the dead assassin paused in his movements, slowly looking up towards his descendant. Brown eyes met light blue as the two met and Callum held his breath in that moment.

"What are you doing?" Callum asked, questioned, but Aguilar just gave him this stoic look in response.

_"Maria."_

Aguilar stated in a stern, firm tone. Before he went back to doing what he had been doing before being interrupted. "No. That is Valeria, I mean she was Maria, but she is someone else now-"

Callum was cut off as Aguilar appeared in front of him. Pushing him down into the bed below, and how was a  _hallucination_ doing this? Fighting was one thing, but this seemed far too real for his liking. Bending down, Aguilar was only inches from his face, studying Callum's face by the looks of it.  _"I haven't seen her since she killed herself...I've missed her. Why do you think you have thought of her as Maria if not for me?"_ The pain laced within Aguilar's tone almost made him feel bad. It almost made him want to apologize for questioning his actions. But the warmth that was coming from Aguilar seemed to drift him back into reality. Callum had never truly thought over it or even noticed that he was doing it before Aguilar told him. He had been calling her Maria,  _hell_ he had called her  _his_ Maria, on more than one occasion. Was this the bleeding effect that caused him to do it? Aguilar was just a hallucination afterall, maybe it was just the ancient assassins memories.

Aguilar narrowed his eyes, before disappearing completely. He was gone physically, but Cal could  _feel_ him moving from inside his mind. Curling up like a kitten that had played for too much and was now looking forward to a nap.

Rubbing his eyes, he sat back up on the bed, the sheets that they had put on the night before falling from his legs. Valeria was still asleep, somehow Aguilar had not awoken her, so Cal decided to not do so either. Getting out of the bed he opened the door before stepping out into the large open area that would make up their living room and kitchen. Moussa was already awake, heating something up on the stove, a drink judging by the mugs that were sitting on the counter. 

"Rough night, Pioneer?" The older man questioned as he arched a brow.

Callum had never seen Moussa shirtless before, but now that he was he noticed an odd scar on his arm. It was as if someone had tried to cut it off..."Uh, not exactly, it was more of a rough morning." Cal answered before taking his eyes off of the scar. "Do you ever stop seeing... _him_?" That created a reaction from Moussa. The older man turned off the stove before pouring a hot liquid into both mugs. Coffee by the smell of it. "You are apart of him, in a way you are him, so no the ancestor you first synchronize with never leaves. As for the others, they stay in the back of your mind, away from reality. You have to learn to control it in order to get them to come out. I only have Baptiste though, so I have nothing else to deal with." Moussa explained, adding the latter in a more happier tone. Callum had never met Baptiste, but he was already sure that whoever he was he must do something to make Moussa happy or at least content. "You should ask Valeria more, since you both have long ass bloodlines. She'll explain it more. You might even learn how to  _shift_."

Callum didn't know what a shift was, but Moussa wasn't telling him. The older man grabbed the mugs before heading back to his room. Lin was already awake as well, but she didn't look like a morning person. Judging by the look on her face, if Moussa didn't give her the coffee, then she was going to pass back out. With a tiny feeling of defeat he returned to his own room. Telling himself, telling  _Aguilar,_ to let the both of them sleep.

* * *

As the day continued they ended up receiving the shipments from the subjects that were still in the Abstergo Foundation. They had said that Abstergo wasn't poking around as of yet. However, if push came to shove they would move everything that was left over out as fast as possible. It was a risk alone to be shipping these artifacts and personal items directly from the facility, but it was a risk that they were willing to take.

Callum sat in the old wooden chair that was by the desk in their room. The box that had been given to him contained all of the documents and papers that had made up his families timeline. Along with a few files that seemed to be specific for a few of his ancestors. Then, lastly, sitting towards the bottom was three sets of hidden blades. A tag was attached to each one with a string, an identification marker by the looks of it. Callum looked at each name: _Charles Dorian, Arno Victor Dorian, Laura Clemens._ Picking up Arno's hidden blade he almost dropped it as the hidden blade came out. It looked as if someone had added some form of a crossbow mechanism on it and by looking at the others Arno wasn't special in that matter. "I see you found the phantom blades used by the French Brotherhood." Valeria stated from across the room as she examined a pair of leather boots. The boots reminded him of Shao Jun's accept the blades on them were dagger like in length and bared a crimson cross.

Placing the hidden blade back next to its companions he reached down to pull out another item. It was a pocketwatch, with a black face and red velvet interior. It felt familiar to him, and he was sure that it must have belonged to one of the Dorians. Setting the box down onto the floor he went to open up one of Valeria's boxes. Inside was clothing, clothing that Abstergo must have taken from her home. He was going to question why, but Sophia did promise a new life. "You have an odd style." Cal commented as he dug through the box. "Suits with trousers, skirts, and a life long supply of ties and vest...then you go from very business like to a chick who owns too much leather and rides motorcycles...to a poor college student."

All of the college apparel had that same red wine color and below it was some kind of sports uniform and a misshapen football. "Boston Eagles: Rugby? So, you're a  _sports_ nerd." He teased before earning a smack.  _Bad Cal,_ Aguilar said sounding rather amused with the situation. 

"Says the one with a  _death row_ onesie." Valeria said, throwing his prison clothing at him. He had wondered where Lara had placed that, but he wasn't even sure what he would be doing with it. Taking the box from him, Valeria dropped it next to the closet and what appeared to be a box of picture frames. 

She picked up a metal pin next from a box, running her finger over the metal. "A pin?" Callum questioned and she handed it out to him. "The Templar pin was a bladed adornment worn by some French members of the Templar Order around the time of the French Revolution, that could be used as a weapon and replaced the function of Templar rings, signifying the membership in the Order. Typically, the pins featured the Cross of the Templars in its center with intricate designs surrounding the symbol, varying according to the blacksmith or the Templar owner. Jason and Lara have the other two that Abstergo had." 

Callum studied the piece of metal making sure that he did not touch blade on it. 

* * *

"Moussa said you could teach me how to shift." 

"You have things to learn, first, before you can do that."

"Then teach me."

* * *

She was keeping her promise to him that she had made that day after their first regression together. Valeria would be lying if she had said that she didn't want to teach him. They shared a bond together, and the Maria that was in her was rather pleased with the thought of getting to teach again. 

 _Aguilar is in there..._ Maria's voice carried and Valeria knew why. If he could learn to open his mind, then perhaps to shift, then their bond would no doubtly grow. They would be able to shift together, which in a time of great distress, could prove to be vital. They had removed their belongings from the bed, placing the paintings upon the walls of their ancestors portraits and paintings of Templars during the Crusades. Callum wasn't about to question her on why they had some of those to begin with. Weapons and artifacts were also scarttered across the floor, while Valeria's chello and violin had been placed delicately in a corner.

"What exactly do I have to do?" Callum asked as he sat down upon the bed. Crossing his legs he placed his hands onto his lap.

"Imagine your about to perform a leap of faith. Open your mind, not by force, simply settle into it."

Callum attempted to do as she said. He could feel Aguilar moving around, but then it was as if a wall had come falling down. He felt other presences, Aguilar's remained the more dominate one, but the others were still there. Images from different places, different people, flashed through his mind. Voices, male and female, speaking different languages began to speak to him.  _Encouraging him._

Then he saw  _it._

A thick, black fog was shifting from his skin reminding him of every time that he would almost desynch. Then as soon as it had come it all snapped away leaving him gasping for air. That wall was placed back, and Aguilar squirmed around inside his head before appearing beside Valeria.

"What-what  _was_ that?"

"You opened your mind allowing yourself to communicate with your other ancestors....you then began to shift, but your panic caused you to close yourself back up." Valeria explained in a soft, reassuring tone. It did help, however, because he felt his tension melt away. "You make it sound as if I wasn't supposed to do that."

"You shifted earlier than I thought you would. This could be because you simply became overwhelmed or one of your ancestors- _Aguilar_ -became overwhelmed as well."

"Can I try again?"

* * *

Valeria gave a soft smile before nodding. Aguilar was smiling too.

* * *

The building was stuffy with no air circulation, but Sophia wasn't expecting anything better. The private affairs office was open and it had fallen upon her almost as much as the preperations for a funeral had. The attorney, Mr. Williams, gave her a quick smile before pulling out a stack of white documents.

"Your father left behind a will. I'm afraid, however, that he did not change it very much since your brothers passing."

Sophia frowned, digging her nails into the fine oak of her seat. "Meaning?" She questioned, a tinge of anxiety running through her. Battling with the legal system would put her behind in her plans. Acquiring Callum Lynch and the Apple of Eden was at a top priority. It sat alongside her fathers funeral and her other plans for what was to come. However, such legal matters that would require a visit to the courts...

"He left the Rikkin estate in England, the Rikkin estate in Northern France, and all of the possessions that remain in them to your younger half-brother. There is that, and he left a large sum of money. Of course, the late Jason Ethaniel Rikkin is gone now. Your father did leave you the Abstergo Foundation in Madrid, Paris, and Moscow. As well as, Abstergo Industries in the Caribbean and Canada. What he left you was recently changed though. It had belonged to your brother. Which I do find rather odd. I am sure that we can get passed these legal patches, but it will take time Miss Rikkin." Mr. Williams brushed it off. Grabbing a pen before he seemed to be shifting through documents.

"You're saying he left me nothing then. Nothing until he changed it."

"He left you a large sum of money, but originally, yes. He must have saw his son as his heir. However, he did change it to legally fall into your hands. Or at least his company."

Sophia leaned back into the seat feeling bitter towards both her father and herself. What had she done to earn that resolution? Perhaps he believed that in the end things could go back to normal. That Jason would be cured.

"Tell me, Mr. Williams, how long will it take for me to gain control of those facilities?"

* * *

They were hiding fairly well, but not well enough.

McGowen had tracked them down, falling into the familiar footsteps of his ancestor. Valeria and Callum moved around far too much in the way that Maria and Aguilar had done. It was as if they were leaving him a cookie trail, but then they settled down by the looks of it.  _Are you going to kill them..._ Ojeda seemed to question. His ancestor had become more active recently in the same way that he once had when Valeria started going through Maria's memories. Unfortunately, that did not come without its consequences and memories that were not his own began to surface. Plaguing him in his dreams to  _find them_ whilst reminding him of what Torquemada had done in the end. That Sophia would do the same thing if her life was on the line.

* * *

* * *

Night had settled across Spain, the heat was becoming unbearable, however, as the summer months approached. Ojeda had been writing a letter, one that Torquemada would receive, inquiring about the assassin and resistance movements that were spreading through Andalucia. 

The people who were of these heretic religious faiths fought back against his Templar soldiers. It seemed that no matter how many people were hung, or tortured, or how many villages were burned down they always fought back. Then the  _assassins_ would come bearing hidden blades and weapons that clung to their bodies. These hooded figures fought very well through training that must have taken years to acquire. They were efficient killers he would give them that, but they were beginning to become a problem. 

_"Why did you spare him."_

A feminine voice asked from behind and turning he saw that it was that woman. The only woman that he had seen amongst the assassins. Yet she had proven to be deadly in combat, and he learned from that to not underestimate her.  _"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you now."_ Ojeda stated back as he unsheathed his sword. He should end it now, to kill this woman.

 _"You spared him and I know that you know of what he is. De Nerha is the son of assassins, yet you did not kill him tonight. Why?"_ The woman questioned as she stepped out of the shadows and into the light. Her blue eyes were rather hypnotic, almost as uncommon as his own eye color, but he wasn't going to admit that this woman was as beautiful as she was deadly. Not when he would end up killing her. Then he remembered the man whose life he had not taken. Something had drawn him to not do it. To not take this mans life, and he didn't want to admit that it was for the same reason that he didn't wish to confront the woman before him.

_"That is for my knowledge alone and as I said before you should leave before I kill you."_

The woman looked at him with a stern look before she slipped back into the shadows and out the window. Before he could even call out for guards to chase her she was gone and it wouldn't be until the next year that he would learn their names. 

* * *

* * *

McGowen groaned as the Spain renaissance faded away from his vision. Leaning against a brick wall he ran his hand against it. The rough brick giving him a sense of what was reality. That this was London,  _the twenty-first century_. It didn't take Sophia Rikkin or an Abstergo technician to tell him what was wrong with him though. The Animus bond was taking its toll and the bleeding effect was not helping in the matter. 

"McGowen? _Fucking shit._ " Jason yelled before punching a nearby wall. The brick chipping away upon contact with the brass knuckles. "Please tell me you're not here to chase us. Otherwise, I will shoot you." Lara stated rather bluntly as she removed Evie Frye's gun fron her waist.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I hope you all enjoyed the references I made. I wanted there to be a reference to Connor Kenway, which allied perfectly to the Boston Eagle's college. I also wanted Callum to have Arno's belongings as well. Because fuck yeah Arno comes from a bloodline!
> 
> -What happens if a person in the will to get something dies before the will changes? Honestly I do not know, but it sounds like a ton of legal assistance is gonna have to take place.
> 
> -Also, I hope you enjoyed my flashback(two lines will mean a flashback), and I hope you like the Bleeding Effect that is happening as well!(Aguilar will forever be referenced as a cat)
> 
> Anyways I hope you all enjoyed the Chapter! Until next time!


	14. The Beginning of an Unsteady Alliance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -McGowen joins the descendants who plan for their second team assassination of Thomas Eobard.

"Are you sure that this will work?" Ellen Kaye questioned as Sophia opened the metal case before her. Inside, placed cautiously by the looks of it, was a white cloth that looked as if it has dulled over time. "No, but since all of my test subjects are gone I have very few options." Sophia explained as she took it out. Brushing her pale nuckles against the course fabric that bared the marks of a piece of Eden. "If the Shroud can heal life than surely it can give it back." Sophia stated as she pulled it from the metal case. Ellen Kaye had forbid the ressurection of Alan rikkin. However, that would not go against her plans. 

Drapping the Shroud over the rotted remains she watched as it began to glow.

* * *

"Are you sure that he is not here to kill us?"

"What kind of question is that Emir? Of course that is why he is here!"

"I say we torture him."

"Lin, hun, perhaps we should question him first..."

"....Moussa...this is why I wear the pants in our relationship."

* * *

They had tied him up using one of Lin's rope darts and a plastic chair from a Dollar Market. It wasn't their best plan, but what other options did they have? There was no question as to why he was here, Callum knew why, and he didn't trust McGowen. Not around Moussa or Nathan or Lara. And certainly not around Valeria-Animus bond or not-that only seemed to cause even more alarm in his mind. 

 _This isn't good. If he has found us then Abstergo has found us._ Aguilar spoke, but Callum knew that there was something else there. His ancestor was observing the descendant of Ojeda. Watching for any sign that his old enemy was in there, but the point seemed moot to Cal. It was laughable in a way, because they both knew that it was true.

"I've left Abstergo...I left Sophia Rikkin's guards." McGowen said, finally speaking up as the descendants all surrounded him. "Why?" Nathan questioned, his hand itching towards Walpole's flint pistol. Everyone was on edge, a small part of them fearing the loss of their freedom, and what they were going to build.

"She was going to put me back into the Animus...my ancestor didn't agree with her."

"Which one?  _Ojeda_ or  _Shay Cormac_? Because both have had no problems with hunting down Assassins before." Lara snaped. The youngest assassin couldn't take it anymore. She had seen the damage that both of them have caused and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Everyone looked back towards the tied up head of security. 

Callum didn't know who Shay Cormac had been, but judging by their reactions it only made McGowen more untrustworthy. However, if he had truly left Abstergo... _you wish to make him an ally?_ Swallowing the lump that had formed within his throat Cal stepped forward. "You will be under mine and Valeria's watch. You will not break any rules set up and you will  _not_ harm anyone here...deal?" Everyone looked at him, McGowen included, and the head of security smiled. That same smile that he had given Callum before his third regression. "If you admire the assassins then you will work with us. If you do anything that proves your deceit then we will deal with you."

"How admiral of you."

* * *

 "His name is Thomas Eobard. He deals with Abstergo's finnancial matters,  _all_ of Abstergo's finnancial matters. There is always the chance that there is a back up, but for now we need to focus on him. According to the surveillance that Emir gathered, Eobard goes to the London International Bank  every two months. We need to create a distraction and then we need to abduct him. By the time we get done we should get back just in time for the new episode of Grey's Anatomy. Questions?"

Everyone looked at Lara as she seemed to have a full plan for everything that would occur. Jason had mentioned that she was always good at creating them. Callum turned to look at Emir who was currently typing away on a laptop. Did he steal that?

"We need the Rooks." Jason stated, which earned him a look of annoyance from Lara. "No  _Jacob_ we need to be rebuilding what has been lost! The England Brotherhood, the French Rite, the Spain Brotherhood.  _Then_ we can go scouting for Rooks." Lara argued back, the thirteen year old sounding much older- _much wiser_ -than Cal had ever been. Callum leaned into Valeria, asking in a hushed tone, "What is a Rook? I thought that was a bird...and a chess piece."

Valeria peaked at him from behind the red wine college hoodie's hood. "They were a crime syndicate that operated in London during the Industrial Revolution." She explained to him before leaning back into him. The debate over the Rooks seemed to go on for another ten minutes before Lin announced that she was ordering pizza. Which ended with her leaving the room with comments about how Shao Jun was going to give her a headache if she didn't leave the argument that was likely to continue. 

* * *

"I'm sure that the Rooks could come in handy then."

"Is this because you want to be in a gang war or because you just want to go to pubs to  _recruit_ people?"

"A bit of both."

* * *

As night approached, Callum found himself watching the head of security, or rather  _ex_ considering the current situation. "Cal, go to sleep. If he tries anything I'll stab him." Valeria told him as she picked up the remodeled parry shield that Maria had always worn across her back. The weapon flickered against the light of the room, but a quick chuckle from the corner of the room caught both of their attentions. "You act as if I am about to join you in bed...just to slit your throats." McGowen made it sound like a light joke that would be made between friends, but it only provoked anger from him. Anger from Aguilar. 

"Unless we slit yours first." Valeria snarked back before placing the parry shield down upon the bedside table. The french woman wasn't tired, not in the way that Maria had been after days of roaming in the desert as a nomad, but sleep was still sleep. The assassination of Thomas Eobard was going to fall into motion, and after that...a night of full peaceful sleep was coming to an abrupt end. Stretching like a cat she relaxed into the bed. "We can deal with bed matters later. Now go to sleep before I leave to join Lin and Moussa."

"Goodnight Val...Cal."

"Goodnight  __you _ass._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Sophia Rikkin offically is experimenting with the Shroud.
> 
> Possible returns:  
> Desmond Miles  
> Aguilar de Nerha  
> Maria  
> Ojeda  
> Bennedicto and the Spain Brotherhood  
> Adewale  
> Mary Read||James Kidd  
> Anne Bonny  
> Edward Kenway  
> Haytham Kenway  
> Connor Kenway  
> Ziio  
> Shay Cormac  
> Thomas Hickey  
> Liam O'Brian  
> Hope Jensen  
> Èlise de la Serre  
> Arno Victor Dorian  
> Jacob Frye  
> Evie Frye  
> Yusuf Tazim  
> Shao Jun  
> Baptiste
> 
> *Note: Now, not everyone is going to be brought back. That would be way too many characters which would be rather harmful since I am trying to build on the new characters that the movie gave. Request are welcome, I have a couple above in mind, but not everyone will return.
> 
> -I hope you all enjoyed! In the next chapter we finally encounter *drumroll please* Shaun Hastings! All aboard the U.S.S Angst!


	15. The Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -The capturing of Thomas Eobard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I am just gonna go ahead and say that Shaun couldn't make it into the chapter. I know what I am going to do with him, but his appearance will have to appear in a chapter or two in order for his appearance to make sense. Forgive me, Shaun fans

Thomas Eobard was a rather gangly fellow who wore suits that seemed to be rather expensive for a man of his job. Then again Callum had never really been one to have money to spurge on. 

Himself, Valeria, Lara, and Moussa were to acquire the man before he can even enter the bank. Emir will disrupt all security and traffic camera's. Whilst Nathan, Jason, and Lin create a distraction for any prying eyes. "Would now be a great time to mention that this is the first time I've ever ridden a motorcycle?" Cal teased as he placed the black tinted helmet upon his head.

Recently they had been going through old documents that Abstergo had gathered. To say that some of the ancestors had left around some fortune of value would be an understatement. A Parisian Café had fallen into his hands through his mothers side. It seemed as if Arno Dorian had left behind what would have been a small fortune at the time along with a Café. Callum wasn't entirely sure as to what he was supposed to do with it besides reopen it.  _That_ of course would require time and for him to leave London. Then Valeria, Lara and Jason, had acquired the de la Serre estate in Versailles, and the Temple in Marais. Lin even inherited some land in China along with a rather large sum of money. Who would have thought that Shao Jun would be good with her finances? So, perhaps they could go to France eventually, or China for that matter, but for the time being they needed to stay in London.

Of course, the money they had acquired currently had gone into getting four BMW Motorrad S-1000 XR's. Not to mention the new weapons and cars that Moussa had made a list of.  _I like this thing,_ Aguilar mused, as he had been ever since he first saw a motorcycle.  _Imagine how easy it would be to evade Templars on one of these! It's so much faster than a horse._

"You'll be fine. If you can survive the ride over here than surely you can accomplish this." Lara reassured before holding up her hand. Giving a go motion they began to move out.

Thomas Eobard was walking across the street.

Stepping out into the street amongst other pedestrians, Jason walked into Nathan and Lin with as much force as he could have.  _"Watch it!"_ Nathan shouted at him before Jason began to cuss back. It wasn't long before a fight had broken out blocking the street as people looked on. 

"Now."

Valeria started her motorcycle and the others followed through as they began to move around the traffic build up that was forming. Reaching the man they blocked him off. Moussa pulling to a stop in front of him while Callum knocked the man out. The Abstergo employee hit the pavement with a hard smack. His glasses falling from his face in the process. Picking up his body, Moussa sat him on the motorcycle before driving off. However, as luck tended to have it, the british police just so happened to appear. Ripping apart a brawling Nathan and Jason. Lin was quick to stop them, however, as she did come with a plan B. Unhooking a granade from the officers pants she smashed a smoke granade into the road. White thick smoke began to fill the air, giving them enough time to flee the scene. As for Callum he was following close behind Moussa as they began driving down the streets. The sound of the motors running filled his ears, but then he saw  _it._

Abstergo had found out about their plan, or at least, they had begun sending guards out to follow Eobard. Four large black SUV's were hot on their tail, each on branded with the white, triangle Abstergo logo. Taking out a gun, Valeria turned back and shot at them, the bullets piercing the tinted glass. "Moussa, split off from us when you get the chance!" Cal yelled out as gunfire began to get exchanged. Lara had pulled back towards the first SUV, Evie's kukri in hand. The metal of the blade whacked into the tinted window repeatidly before the glass finally broke. The driver swerved against the road in an attempt to get her to run into nearby car, but before he could succeed the metal machete embedded itself into his flesh. Breaking away the skin that made up the flesh of his face. Callum could hear the sound of his screams from where he was. It almost caused him to turn back, to look at the sight, but then Lara went speeding by him and the sound of loud crashes began to fill the street. Shrapnel blew out and into the street, hitting cars and store windows, as people bearby ducked to the ground. 

They were almost out of the clear and Moussa had successfully escaped with Eobard. But, as soon as Callum almost let out a sigh of relief the sound of metal screeching across pavement filled his ears. Stopping to a hault, Callum turned back to see that another SUV had turned from the intersection and had hit Valeria. She had been flung from the motorcycle itself and probably would have been unconsious if it wasn't for the helmet she had worn. With shakey legs she stood back up before running to Callum.

"Forget the bike." Was all he had heard before a pair of arms had wrapped around them. As the doors of the now crashed SUV opened, he almost froze as he saw who had stepped out of it.

Sophia Rikkin was a statue in human form whose eyes were burned with hate. A smile had formed upon her face as men in security uniforms stepped out with guns.

"You can't run from me, Cal."

As fingers curled into his side, a sudden weight pressing itself into his back, Callum felt his partner by his side telling him to silently  _go._ Then he felt it, that same familiar feeling of becoming syncronized. 

_"Forgive me, Cal."_

Aguilar had taken control, pushing Cal away, it felt  _odd,_ because there was no genetic memory to sink back into. Only this comfortable warmth that seemed to hold him back. As Aguilar drove away to catch up with Lara, Sophia Rikkin held up a hand in pause towards her men. "Destroy all evidence here and do not track them down. Something tells me that they will not be in London for much longer."

* * *

When Callum had finally regained control over his body he realized two things. One, they were back at the apartments and away from the clutches of Sophia Rikkin. Two, his partner had not come out completely unscathed. 

* * *

The tinted visors on the helmet had been shattered away on empact and the helmet itself was sporting a crack along the side. "Are you alright?" He questioned as he removed the helmet from her head. A few pieces of sharp, broken plastic fell onto the street and Cal could see a few cuts around her eyes and the tops of her cheekbones. Valeria hesitantly reached up to touch her head. "A few cuts and a headache. It's not that ba-"

Before the french woman could continue her examination she had been pulled into a tight hug. Maybe it was Aguilar, or maybe it was just  _him,_ but after everything that had happened in the mission...he didn't want to lose her or anyone else for that matter. Then, when Sophia had stepped out, having hit Valeria on purpose...

Valeria hugged back, breathing in deeply, before looking up at him. 

"I thought that I was going to lose you back there."

"It'll take more than that before I allow that to happen."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Did I have to mention the fact that Callum is inheriting Arno Dorian's Café? Yes, yes I did. That, and the de la Serre estate and the French Rite temple is finally getting new owners. I truly couldn't pass that up. Shao Jun also left behind a place of her own which we may see when the time comes. I thought about Duncan Walpole having some form of wealth built up in the Caribbeans, but pirates would have gotten to it by now...Edward being the prime suspect....
> 
> -I hope that my action scene didn't suck! And I hope that you all enjoyed!
> 
> P.S. If you are wondering where McGowen is right now, Jason tied him to a bed for good measure...not sure if I will actually go with that...he is just tied up, ok, guys 


	16. Justice Runs In Crimson Rivers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -The death of Thomas Eobard weighs down upon Cal, and his only solace can come from the Bleeding Effect.

There was something rather hypnotic about watching blood go down a drain.

His hands were stained with blood, rolling down from the metal of his hidden blades and onto his skin. The cold water from the faucet sent chills up his arms, but perhaps he needed to feel that. To feel something,  _anything_ , after killing a man. The pimp was one thing and Alan Rikkin was another, but what they had done out weighed the inevitable fate of Thomas Eobard. All of his contacts and paperwork had been taken from him. The man was even held at gun point, mumbling desperate pleas, hands shaking as he typed away against the key board. In a weeks time, Abstergo will begin to feel the outcome of their finnancial security being ripped from them. Then the hunt for the escaped test subjects will increase until they are on the run once again.

"Callum? Cal."

Her voice brings him away from his thoughts. A tense coil begins to slowly unravel itself from within his mind and he feels  _concern._

A hand squeezes his shoulder, Valeria looking at him with knowing eyes, was this what Aguilar had experienced? Once he had taken someones life who wasn't innocent, yet wasn't as guilty as the countless others who still breathed?

"You're starting to bleed too much, Cal. Practice what I taught you. Open your mind for a bit. Releave some stress, ok?" The plead of a statement ends with a question, and Cal finds himself being lead out of the bathroom and back into their bedroom. He tries to open his mind, to lift the barrier, but all he can think about are the  _voices_ that will be waiting for him. He prefers Aguilar over his father, but currently the spainiard seems more worried about him than what he would prefer. 

Sitting down onto the bed, Cal lets out a shakey breath before he follows the steps.  _Imagine that you're about to take a leap of faith...then let everything dissipate around you._

When he opens his eyes he feels as the wall come down again. Accept this isn't like it was before, there is no wave of emotions overwhelming him, only a wave of peace. Then he sees  _him_ _,_ a man dressed in blue assassin robes, wearing a white vest, and judging by the attire he must be the French Revolutionist that Sophia had told him about. This ancestor doesn't move upon leaving Cal's mind, he simply stands there, watching,  _waiting._

 _"Ce n'est pas ce que j'attendais que l'après-vie soit comme. Oh bien, je suis Arno Victor Dorian, et vous êtes mon grand arrière-arrière petit-fils ou quelque chose du genre. Oui? Je vois que vous ne comprenez pas très bien le français, mais nous pouvons traverser ce pont finalement. Je crains que je ne puisse rester plus longtemps. Jusqu'à la prochaine fois, Cal."_ The Assassin spoke, in very rapid french, before he disappeared. It left Cal wishing that he could have reached out to grab the man, to stop him from leaving.

Back at Abstergo, he didn't want to know his past as Aguilar, nor did he wish to learn about any of his ancestors, but he was stuck with them until  _death._ He was stuck with blood upon his hands until death.

_Justice runs in crimson rivers. Whether across the deserts of Spain or the skys of England. All must pay their due._

* * *

"Did you see someone?"

"It was Arno...his french was a bit fast."

"You'll get there eventually...do you want to talk about it? About Eobard?"

"I would rather write about."

* * *

Callum didn't want to take her book, it was filled with drawings of the regression, portraits, and information that belonged to her and her family. Yet, the french woman had been rather insistent upon it, telling him that now it was time to write.

A short note had been written on the final page of her portion:  _I have written my half. Now it is time for you to write yours. Our history and our present might seem trivial now, but who knows who it might help in the future. -Love, and you better actually use this, Valeria de la Aguila._

He had traced his finger over the note, over the  _meaning_ , and over her name. The latter being something that he had never truly known, but it only added over this layer of comfort. A layer of comfort built around trust, trust that he harbored for the woman.

Finding a pen that actually worked, Callum began to write, starting out with the one person who had once mattered the most to him.

_Mary Lynch(1957-1989), an assassin, and an even better mother._

It seemed like a good place to start.

* * *

 "You're saying you found Winston Churchill's underground bunker?" McGowen questioned skeptically, crossing his arms over his chest. The descendants and their current-somewhat shady-prisoner had all been dragged into the living room by an enthusiastic Jason.

"No, I am saying that Lydia Frye just happened to know where it was at. We need to set up a command center in England, and unfortunately our little condo here isn't exactly suited for it. Not to mention the fact that Sophia Rikkin is still hunting us to the point where she is going after us during assassinations." Jason explained over an old blueprint.

No one questioned how he had gone out for ice cream just to return with this, but it was  _something._ Emir leaned against the table, chewing on his nails as he studied the blueprint. "If we clean the place up I can get as much technology down there was we need. We could have a complete technological standpoint over London, and possibly all of England. Where did you say that it was?"

Jason pulled up google maps over his phone, "West Smithfield, London. It is underground, and there are tunnels connected to it from the 18th century. This would allow us to travel underground to get to anywhere in London." He explained, and judging by the blueprints Churchill had understood the usefullness of these tunnels as well.

"Let's say if we clean it up, bring it into the 21st century from a technological stand point...we could make this into a base for the Rooks." The Rooks were not on the top to-do list in Lara's mind, but she knew by Evie's memories that the Rooks could come in handy. And after had Sophia attempted to run over her mother with her SUV...

"Exactly and what is even better is our train is there!" 

 _"Our train is there?"_ Lara questioned in shocked tone, surprise written over her features. 

Nathan's face scrunched up as he held up his hand, "Wait a minute. You guys own a  _train?_ "

"The Fryes owned a train. Oddly enough I discovered it not far from the bunker. It's in West Smithfield. I suspect that was Lydia's doing." Jason responded. Of course, he wasn't sure if the train still ran properly, but even then it was a wonderful sight that sent him screaming like a teenaged girl. 

"Give us a week, Jason and I will then have things up and running." Emir promised before Jason held up a finger in a pause motion.

* * *

" _First,_ my dearest Yusuf, we must find a flock of Rooks."

"And  _you_ still promised to buy everyone ice cream, Jacob."

* * *

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Translation: "This is not what I was expecting the afterlife to be like.  
> Oh well, I am Arno Victor Dorian, and you are my great, great grandchild or something of the sort. Yes? I see that you do not understand French very well, but we can cross that bridge eventually. I am afraid, however, that I will not be able to stay for much longer. Until next time, Cal."
> 
> -The Chapter title comes from a Miracle of Sound on youtube, who makes original songs for each Assassins Creed. Each one for each game so far involves 'justice running through crimson rivers'. I thought about what the one for the Assassins Creed movie would be and I came up with "Justice runs in crimson rivers. Whether across the deserts of Spain or the skys of England. All must pay their due."
> 
> -I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Until next time guys!


	17. The Eyes of an Eagle see all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum learns about eagle vision and that they have a problem with stealing the items that used to belong to the dead. Then again, it wasn't as if Mary Read was going to rise from her grave demanding that they return her journal.

**_Greasy Spoon Café_ **

The crimson painted letters going across the café's front window seemed to pop out against the foggy streets of London. Rain pelted down against the glass, filling the café with the sound of the oncoming storm, blending it amongst the chatter of people that sat within it. The ceiling reminded him of the old public schooling ones in Texas, while the tan papered walls had a certain charm about them. The seats and tables were all metal with red padding, and stationed in the back was a long counter with pasteries sitting behind glass. It almost reminded him of the old resturants that he would see on tv whenever his foster parents had gone off to work. 

Lara sat infront of him, dressed in her mothers leather coat, as she played with the paper fortune teller within her hands. Although, his attention wasn't held for long on the colorful paper, because sitting in the left corner of the ceiling was a small grey tv. There was a news station playing, showing footage of old 14th century paintings from Spain. Under the footage in big, bold letters was:  **COLOMBUS'S GRAVE ROBBED**. A news reporter soon appeared, her voice drowning out against the sound of the rain and the chatter amongst the café, however small subtles appeared at the bottom.  _"Yesturday afternoon, it was discovered that a robbery has occured within the Seville Cathedral. The broken remains of a hidden vault were discovered, leading many historians puzzled as to what Christopher Colombus had hidden within it._ _So far no one knows what was taken, for it seems that whatever it was, it was something that no one knows about."_

Drawing his eyes away from the television, he looked back down at the table, before poking at the yellow flower on the paper fortune teller. Lara pulled it back to quickly spell out the color before showing him his options of yes or no. The metal sitting within his hand was a silver band, engraved with celtic knots, but instead of a diamond or a crystal sitting within the center it was the symbol of the assassins. His mothers wedding band, taken from her dead finger by Alan Rikkin, before being placed away in a small, brown cardboard box, along with everything else that his mother had owned. 

"Do you remember what she looks like?" Lara asked, drawing her hand away from her paper fortune teller and over to the ring. "Sometimes. The last time I saw her, I was your age. How old are you anyway?" The tone of his voice was soft, quiet even, before he asked her a question one of which he did not know the answer of. "Thirteen." Lara answered honestly. Her lips pulling up to form a smile before it disappeared and a look appeared in her eyes, one that seemed far too wise for a thirteen year old. "Have you always known you were an Assassin?" It seemed like a question that was barely crossing a line. If she was indeed thirteen and had been at Abstergo for years...surely Sophia would not place a small child within the Animus.

Lara didn't answer immediantely, simply looking back down towards the paper fortune teller that sat within her hands, before drawing out his response. "Always. You?" It almost made his heart drop, but there was no pushing upon the matter of Sophia Rikkin's morals. "No." Callum answered honestly before Lara opened up the paper to reveal his fortune. The drawing this time was of multiple tiny figures standing within a room, or perhaps they were trapped. "Why do you use these things?" He asked taking it from her hands before opening the other sides. An apple, a top hat, and a sketch of Aguilar, each one drawn out with very specific detail.

"I have premonitions thanks to my eagle vision. My mother does too, and Lin and Nathan have them as well. My mom and I just decided to do something about it." Lara explained before taking it from his hands, folding it back gently, before sticking it back into a journal she had been previously reading. The black leather book seemed to be more of a diary, beautiful cursive written along the pages, with images depicting cane swords and different people along the edges. There even seemed to be flowers, pressed down and dried into bookmarks, sitting among the old, thick pages. "What's eagle vision?" Cal asked, the words feeling foreign against his tongue, and he could feel Aguilar stirr from his mind. Lara looked at him with shock and confusion etching itself across her features. "You haven't used the second sight?" 

Just as those words left her, Callum felt Aguilar jerk back, and then everything changed around him. Different shades of black, white, and grey seemed to coat everything as if he was color blind. All accept for Lara who seemed to glow a bright blue against everything else. In shock, Cal fell back out of his chair and onto the tile floor, yet just as the sound of everyone in the café seemed to stop, color began to fill his vision once again as if nothing had happened. "Cal?" A french accented voice called out gently from behind and he noticed that it was Valeria looking down at him in worry. Standing behind her was McGowen, a tray of four drinks in hand, as he gave him a questionable look. "I-I'm fine I just-" His explanation was a ramble of words as he got off of the floor and sat back down. And although everyone in the café continued on as if nothing had happened the others were a different story. "He just now used his second sight for the first time." Lara explained to them as Valeria and McGowen took their seats. 

Valeria turned to him as she handed him his cup, before her blue eyes focused on his, but in a quick flash he saw them glow a golden color. Trying to keep his composure, Cal gripped the ring that was still within his hands before swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat. "What is eagle vision?" He questioned hesitantly, trying to reel in what had just happened with his sudden ability to see no color. "Eagle Vision is a dormant sixth sense that humans can possess. Assassins were the ones to mainly use it, but Templars also possessed this ability. Those who possess the gift are able to instinctively sense how people and objects relate to them, which manifests as a colored glow, much like an aura. Red indicates enemies or spilled blood, blue indicates allies, white indicates sources of information or hiding spots, and gold indicates targets or objects of interest.  Some have been known to 'tag' these people, allowing them to see their location when out of Eagle Vision, even through walls and other obstacles. What you saw just then, my eyes giving off a golden glow in color, that was me using eagle vision." Valeria explained to him and she made it sound so  _natural._ As if being able to do the things that this eagle vision did was normal. "What about the premonitions?" Cal questioned, dropping his gaze down to the paper fortune teller that was tucked away. 

 "When an individual masters Eagle Vision, the ability can evolve to the more advanced Eagle Sense. This stage heightens all the senses of its user, allowing them to detect the heartbeat of a target in the area, or even foresee a target's path. Some individuals also developed exotic variations of the gift; one application allowing its wielder to peer into the memories of their target upon killing them while another one allowed a gifted individual to become a kind of lie detector, knowing when someone was lying or telling the truth to them, others can have premonitions of the future based on a person or object that they have come into contact with. Aguilar had been able to see someones memories upon looking into their eyes at death. Moussa shares that same ability as well. Myself, Lara, Lin, and Nathan, we tend to get premonitions thanks to the second sight. Jason and Emir, however, are walking lie detectors." Again she explained such a concept that seemed so unnatural, so inhuman in his mind. If she had told him this before he wouldn't have believed it, but here he was possessing such an ability. "Can you have more than one variation?" 

"Yes. Although it is not as strong as the first one that you learn of."

"What is  _it_ exactly? I mean, you have told me what it does, but what is it?" Leaning against the table using his forearms, he almost felt out of balance. 

This time, however, Lara spoke up as she leaned over to grab a packet of honey from the table to place within her hot tea. "The Assassin Mary Read described Eagle Vision as the residue of life essence, attaching itself to every living thing around those with what she called "the Sense". She claimed that every person could harness the Sense, but most either did not know they could or were unable to truly use the power until later in life." The thirteen year old explained before taking out a journal from her bag. The leather on it was worn, yet the brown leathered journal seemed to be in good condition. Sliding it across the table, Cal was almost hesitant to touch it, but the look upon Lara's face showed that if he didn't then she would do it for him. 

Written upon the first page was two names and a date: ~~ _James Kidd_~~ _Mary Read, Nov. 1st, 1716._ "You're giving me a dead pirates journal?" Was it a hobby of Lara's to take the journals and diary's of the dead? A contemplative frown appeared on her features before she shrugged her shoulders. "I thought that the descendant of Anne Bonny would have taken it, or even the descendant of Adéwalé, but perhaps they simply didn't know where to look for it."

"I'll keep it safe for them then." Callum promised, although he didn't know who those people were besides Abstergo test subjects, he kind of wanted to meet them. "Do you have anything to say about this?" Callum asked as he caught the look that McGowen was giving them. "Besides that your stealing from the dead, no, not really." He replied in a mono tone of voice before picking up a metal spoon for which he proceeded to hit Valeria with. 

" _That_ is for threatening to pour hot tea on me."

"You would like it." Valeria stated back, picking up her cup of tea. The look upon her face almost made Cal laugh at the sight. "Can we not discuss such things while drinking tea?" Lara begged and for the first time in a long time Callum almost felt normal. Even with this new found eagle vision. He didn't feel like a murderer dealing with the loss of a mother long dead. He felt as if perhaps he could have a family here, if he didn't have one already, and if Valeria's smile told him anything it was that he was not alone in that reguard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -This is offically the ending to Part 2. I wanted to leave the ending open in nature. Callum is still learning about how to be an Assassin, and he is still growing as a person. There will be a sequel! I hope that you all have enjoyed What Was Left Behind, up next will be To The Future Give Glory


End file.
